My Life Without You
by TVDVampire
Summary: What would you do if the one person you needed more than anyone, the one person who could be there for you, was the one person you thought you hated the most? No vampires or other supernatural beings as of right now. Maybe later? Stefan/Elena with others!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **For now, this will stay rated as K+. I am not sure if I will have to change it or not as of right now. This story is set in Mystic Falls, but some of the characters are a little out of character from the show. I thought it would be fun to play around with them a bit and see where I could go with them. This is my first story for The Vampire Diaries, so I hope you enjoy it. I am a huge fan of the show!

He could hear her laughter from across the lawn as he stood in a circle amongst his friends. That loud, obnoxious laugh that everyone seemed to love. Except him. He turned slightly to look at her, to watch her sway across the grass in her light blue skirt, hugging her books to her chest. She was surrounded by her two closest friends, Bonnie and Caroline. Her laughter ignited once again as she waved to an assortment of people as she walked by, never acknowledging him for even a second. He didn't expect her to. In fact, he was glad she didn't.

The first bell rang and he found himself following his own group of friends, Matt and Tyler, among others, towards the school entrance. Another three weeks and school would be out for the summer. He couldn't wait. Two whole months away from school work. Two whole months without having to get up early. And most importantly, two whole months without having to see Elena Gilbert. Yes, summer was looking promising for Stefan Salvatore.

With seconds to spare, the last of the students shuffled in to Mr. Saltzman's room and took their seats. Everyone was still chattering amongst themselves while Mr. Saltzman wrote across the whiteboard, but no one seemed to notice. With summer break exactly three weeks away, everyone was too excited about summer plans to worry about last-minute school work the teachers had planned for their students.

Stefan watched Elena lean over and meet Bonnie halfway in the middle of the aisle. They were excited about something, but Stefan could not hear what it was. Since the beginning of the year, Elena had sat in front of Stefan and he found it both annoying and amusing. Half the time, she annoyed him to death with her little miss "I'm always right" attitude she had had since he could remember. The other half of the time, their seating arrangement gave him the perfect opportunity to torment her, whether it was his close proximity while one-upping her on an answer she had just shared or kicking the bottom of her seat all throughout class. Silly, childish things that infuriated her.

But she gave as good as she got with him, always picking his answers apart or spreading a rumor that he had made out with the 100 year old librarian at their school. Everyone who knew Stefan and Elena came to expect this behavior from them. After all, the two had known each other since they were in diapers. Stefan and Elena's parents had been good friends and both were founding families of the small town, so the two families spent a lot of time together, especially at the various parties and functions in the community. Play dates were in order as well since Stefan and Elena were the only two similar in age that had lived in Mystic Falls their entire life. Stefan's friends and Elena's friends had all moved to Mystic Falls later on, but their parents had always thought it was good for Elena and Stefan to spend time together. Unfortunately, Stefan and Elena had never felt the same way. The tormenting and the fighting had started at an early age and had only escalated as they grew older. The harder their parents tried to make them get along, the more Elena and Stefan fought it.

Now, at 17 and juniors in high school, Stefan and Elena only had to see each other in school and at community functions, which to them, was way more time than they needed to spend together. Hence Stefan's excitement for the summer break. Elena and her family were going to The French Riviera for a few weeks; this would give him plenty of a break away from her. Stefan had plans to do nothing really. Sleep in and hang out with his friends. Thus, he did not need to cross paths with Elena.

Elena leaned back up in her seat, but not before turning slightly back to look at Stefan with a smirk on her face. Stefan glared, realizing that she and Bonnie had been talking about him. He glanced at Bonnie who smiled and looked toward the front of the room. Stefan watched as Elena's shoulders relaxed as she focused on the writing on the board. A small grin played on his lips before he leaned back in his seat and popped his right foot up, kicking the bottom of her seat.

Elena spun around in her seat, her sparkling brown eyes now clouded with irritation. "What?" Stefan asked innocently. "You know what" Elena replied in a low, quiet tone, letting him know that she was serious. Elena turned back around while Stefan smiled. She was in a very irritable mood today, he decided. This would be fun. Mr. Saltzman began his lecture for the day on something about the Civil War, but Stefan was planning his next move.

Stefan waited about three minutes before kicking under her seat again. "Knock it off!" Elena said, raising her voice as she turned around to face him once again. The quiet classroom turned their attention to Elena and Stefan, as did Mr. Saltzman. Stefan portrayed his innocence. "Miss Gilbert. Mr. Salvatore. Are we interrupting something?" Mr. Saltzman asked.

Elena exhaled the angry breath she had been holding. "No, Mr. Saltzman. Please, continue" Elena said in the sweetest tone she could muster up. However, annoyance continued to bubble up in her as she sat in her chair, fully aware of the amused smirk that was plastered on Stefan's face. She did not have to be facing him to know it was there. "Good" Mr. Saltzman replied, finishing up what he had to say. "Okay then, talk amongst yourselves for a few minutes while I get you guys paired up for your final project" he instructed.

Stefan leaned forward and grabbed a strand of Elena's hair that was resting along her back, and casually flicked it over her shoulder. "Thanks for not ratting me out" he said smugly. Not that he would have cared anyhow. He went to grab another piece of her dark, silky hair, when she turned around abruptly and grabbed ahold of his finger. "Touch me again, and I will permanently remove this finger, do you understand me?" she warned. Stefan smiled, grabbing hold of her wrist with his other hand and pulling her closer to him. She glared with surprise at his sudden presence of strength, realizing that she no longer held any control over him in the situation. At least not physically. Stefan pulled her until her nose was inches from his. He smiled lightly and then let it fade. "Don't threaten me, Elena" he said with a low, serious tone. She glared at him for a long moment before he pushed her back and pulled his hand away from her. Elena was now seething from anger and Stefan knew it. He could see it in her eyes and the way her body tensed.

"Alright class" Mr. Saltzman said, grabbing their attention. "Here are your pairings for the project. I don't want any whining or arguing. No trading of partners either. I have my reasons for the pairings, so I want you all to work with who I tell you to, got it?" he asked. Several of the students groaned. Elena wasn't worried. Her teacher was shacking up with her aunt, so surely Elena knew she would be paired with Bonnie if Mr. Saltzman, or Ric as she called him outside of school, knew what was good for him. "Caroline and Matt. Meghan and Josh. Sarah and Brett …" he went on, calling even more names. Elena looked out the window at the beautiful sunny weather as she waited for her name to be called. "Bonnie and Tyler" Ric said. Elena's eyes shot back up to the front of the room. "Which leaves" he paused. "Elena and Stefan" he smiled, setting his piece of paper down. The room grew dead silent. Stefan and Elena both stood up quickly. "Are you kidding me?" they both shouted simultaneously.

Ric frowned. "No, I believe that you two could each bring something unique to this project" he stated. "I'm not working with her. I'd rather work by myself" Stefan stated stubbornly. No way in hell was he going to be stuck working with her after school. "Well, Stefan, this project calls for you to work with another classmate. So, if you and, Elena" he said, eyeing her. "Cannot work together, then you both can take an F for the entire project, worth 50% of your grade, mind you, and repeat the course over your summer break" he announced. Stefan and Elena's jaws both dropped. "We're clear, then?" he asked. Stefan and Elena both sat down, still completely shocked. Elena looked to Bonnie who gave her a sympathetic look. "Now then, turn to page 330 in your book" Ric said, turning his attention back to his teaching. The class fell silent the rest of the period.

When class was dismissed, everyone hurried out of the room. Elena and Bonnie both exited the room when Elena felt a hand grab her arm and stop her. To her dismay, Elena turned to see Stefan. "Get him to switch us" Stefan demanded. "Get your hand off me" she demanded back, pulling away from him. Stefan noticed that the other students had stopped to watch them. Not wanting to be the center of attention, Stefan began pulling her down the hall, ignoring her protests. He let go of her when they rounded the corner in an empty hallway. "I'm serious. I refuse to have to see you more than I already do. Tell him to switch us" Stefan told her. "You think I want to work with you?" she shot back. "I can't make him do anything. And I am pretty sure he had his mind set on this." Stefan refused to believe that. "He's sleeping with your aunt. That has to give you some weight to throw around" he reminded. "Shhh" Elena said, looking around for anyone who could be listening. "That's not public knowledge" she warned.

"Just talk to Jenna and figure something out" he said harshly, leaving her to stand in the hallway alone. Elena groaned as she turned and went in the opposite direction to her next class.

The day slowly went on, though Elena expected nothing less with it being Friday and having had the worst day ever. She walked quickly to her car, parked between Bonnie and Caroline's cars, and got in. Backing up quickly, she threw her car into drive and sped off with one destination in mind. Aunt Jenna's.

Half an hour later and Elena was letting herself in to her aunt's apartment, neither bothering to knock or even call out to announce her arrival. Instead, Elena let out a huge groan as she sank into the couch. "Rough day, huh?" Jenna asked, peering around the corner. Elena closed her eyes. "The worst" she sighed. "All thanks to your boyfriend" Elena spit out. Jenna raised an eyebrow. "What happened?" she asked, coming to sit down next to Elena. "He's hell bent on ruining my life" Elena replied. Jenna smacked her in the leg. "No, what did he do?" she asked. Elena opened her eyes and stared up at her genuinely curious aunt. "You know that final project he's been droning on and on about?" Elena asked. "Yeah, what about it?" Jenna questioned. "Well guess who he paired me with?" she asked. Jenna stared at her blankly. "Stefan Salvatore" Elena replied in disgust. "Stefan?" Jenna asked, pretending to be horrified which only irritated Elena. Jenna placed her hand over her chest and stood up. "He paired you with Stefan? That cute, well-dressed, quite wealthy, might I add, charming young man?" Jenna asked in surprise. "How dare he!" she demanded in a mocking tone. A smile played on Jenna's lips before she broke into laughter.

Elena threw a pillow at her. "This isn't funny!" she declared. "I hate that guy. He's arrogant, and rude, and he is so NOT cute!" Elena argued. "You have got to get Ric to give me a different partner." Jenna sat back down, shaking her head at her niece's theatrics. "You know I can't do that. I don't get involved in his work" Jenna reminded. Elena huffed. "This project will take weeks Aunt Jenna. That means hours spent after school and weekends with Stefan. Do you want me to suffer? Do you?" Elena asked.

Jenna placed her hand on Elena's knee in a comforting manner. "No, Elena. I do not want you to suffer. I want you to put your differences aside and work with Stefan to get this project done" she added. "You and Stefan have been at each other's throats since you could walk. Don't you think it's high time you two got along for once?" she asked.

Jenna seriously hoped that Elena was considering what she had just said. "No" Elena answered as she stood up. "I have nothing but ill feelings toward Stefan. And the feelings are mutual." Elena moved around Jenna. "Where are you going?" Jenna asked. "To prepare my admittance to the psychiatric hospital" she said sarcastically before disappearing into the guest bedroom to think. No sooner had she sat on the bed did her phone buzz. She read the text message from Stefan asking if she had been successfully at getting Jenna to change Ric's mind. "No" was all she replied back with.

Stefan cursed as he sank into the chair in his room. He should have known that Elena would fail miserably at getting them new partners. He sat in his chair and contemplated just doing the project himself and putting her name on it. Problem solved. They would surely get an A and he would not have to see her outside of school. Sighing heavily, Stefan rested his head on his desk and closed his eyes. Why did life have to suck?

Elena heard a faint tap on the door before seeing her aunt appear. "Are you going to stay for dinner?" Jenna asked. Elena checked her phone and saw that it was just after six. Shaking her head no, Elena stood up and collected her things. "No thanks. I'll grab something on the way home" she answered. Jenna gave her a sympathetic smile before pulling her into a hug. "It will be okay. You'll see" she said softly. "Yeah. Right" Elena grumbled as she pulled away. Before Elena could walk out the door, her aunt called to her. "Hey. Drive safe. And tell your brother to call me." Elena smiled. "Will do."

Elena skipped stopping in town to grab something to eat, figuring she could wait until she got home. She exited off the main road, opting to take a back road to avoid the small town's traffic that built up around this time at night. It was a quiet road that not many people knew about, except for the locals. Elena checked the time, hoping to make it home by seven. She switched the radio station until she found an old country song she liked but would never admit to. As she sang along to the words, she noticed the road all of a sudden get a little bumpier. The further she drove, the bumpier it got. She immediately pulled over and got out to examine her car, fearing the worst. "Damnit" she cursed, studying the flat tire in the back. Elena went to grab her phone. "You've got to be kidding me!" she said, holding her phone up. No service. Frustrated, she threw her phone back in her car and leaned against the door. She had two options. Sit there and hope that someone would drive by or walk the 12 miles to her house. She knew that she would never make it by dark, and the thought of walking by herself in the dark did not sit well with her. Then she thought of how worried her parents would be when she did not show up or call. Elena placed her hands over her face and groaned.

Please review! I would like to know what you think and whether or not I should post the next chapter, which is currently on my screen right now :o) Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews! I truly appreciate them and have taken into consideration all of the suggestions. Enjoy!**

Elena sat in her car, watching the clock on her phone move forward. It was now seven and she was pretty sure that her parents would start to worry. Surely someone would come looking for her? She leaned back in her seat and looked in the rearview mirror. To her relief, she saw a pair of headlights coming her way. Elena jumped out of her car, ready to flag the person down. Not a thought crossed her mind that this person could be a serial killer. At this point, she did not care. She wanted off the side of the road. Her excitement was short-lived however when she got a closer look at the vehicle coming her way. A black Dodge truck. And not any black Dodge truck. Stefan's. "You have got to be kidding me" she groaned, leaning against her car in disbelief. Out of all the people who could have driven by, it had to be Stefan. Surely there was an ax murderer coming along soon, ready to kill a young, stranded girl. She needed to be put out of her misery.

Stefan pulled up behind the stranded car and smiled to himself right away. He opened his door and jumped down from his truck, keeping that smile on his face. "Well well" he said, walking towards her. "What do we have here?" The thought of having to see her more than he already had to was not appealing to him. However, the thought of her being in distress and needing saving, did. He would never let her live this down.

Elena crossed her arms and stared straight ahead. Stefan walked by Elena's car and examined the tire. "Looks like you picked up a nail" he said, admiring the good size slice in the rubber. Stefan continued to walk around the car and stood in front of Elena so she could no longer ignore him.

"Want some help?" he asked, loving the fact that it was more of a matter of her needing it than wanting it. A knowing smirk emerged.

"No" Elena answered. "I'll wait for the next passerby." It could be hours before that happened and she knew this. Most everyone who traveled this road were already home from work.

Stefan shoved his hands in his pockets. "That could be a while. And you don't know what kind of person you might get to stop for you" he reminded. He played his hero act impressively, but she didn't buy it for one second. He just loved the fact that she was stuck in her predicament.

Elena lifted her chin slightly to make eye-contact with him. "I'll take my chances" she said evenly. Stefan smiled once again. God, she was stubborn.

"See, I might be okay with taking that chance" he said, taking a step closer to her. "If I did not feel obligated to respect your parents' desire to keep you safe" he said eloquently. Elena glared at him, prompting him to laugh slightly before backing away from her and moving to the back of the car. Elena half paid attention to him as he dug around in her trunk.

"What are you even doing out here anyway?" Elena asked him.

Stefan smiled, amused by her curiosity. "Alright, Elena, you caught me. I was following you" he said, feigning guilt. Elena sighed, clearly not amused by him. "Just going for a drive" Stefan answered after a while, giving up on finding the nonexistent spare tire. "You know those things called spare tires?" Stefan asked, throwing his question at Elena. "You should have one in your car. You know, just in case you get a flat" he said. Elena rolled her eyes.

Stefan did not have to see her to know she was doing it. "You know, I don't know if there is anything more annoying in this world than when you roll your eyes" he mentioned, shutting her trunk and walking back towards her.

"Go to hell" Elena fired at him. She would roll her eyes if she damn well pleased.

"You know, for someone who is about to get rescued off a desolate road, you could be a little more grateful" Stefan added. He didn't have to stop. He could have kept on going, leaving her to fend for herself with the coyotes. The thought intrigued him. Elena, sitting all alone in her car in the dark, with animals circling and howling. But he couldn't. He respected her parents way too much to leave her by herself. If he was going to rescue Elena, it would be for them. The idea of her owing him though was a major perk.

"I don't want or need your help" she stated, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear in frustration. "I hate you, remember? Call Damon. At least I can stand being around him" she told him.

At the mention of his brother, Stefan's amusement in her situation turned to irritancy rather quickly. "Get in the truck Elena" he told her, no longer willing to play this game with her.

Elena scoffed. "Because I comply to your demands" she said sarcastically. "Like I said, I'll wait for the next car to drive by."

"Don't waste my time any more than you already have" he warned her. Apparently, she had not picked up on his change in mood at the mention of Damon.

"You're wasting your own time. Go home" she said, staring straight into his eyes. Stefan stared straight back. Stefan decided that he could stand there and argue with her, or he could just speed things along for his own benefit. "I said, go, home" Elena said through gritted teeth.

"Okay, I'm done" he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards his truck. Normally, he would never force a woman to do something, but Elena by his standards was no woman. She was a spoiled princess who only cared about herself.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, trying to pull away from him. Stefan ignored her. "I mean it, let go!" she said, hitting him with her free arm.

"Stop!" Stefan warned, wrapping his arms around her and picking her up just enough for her feet to leave the ground. He carried her towards his truck. With her arms subdued, she began kicking her legs, hitting his shin a couple of times. "Damnit" he grumbled, opening the passenger door and attempting to get her in his truck.

Elena realized that he was overpowering her and that he would continue to until she gave up. Letting out a frustrated groan, she gave in and sat in the passenger seat. "God I hate you!" she yelled, crossing her arms over her chest and slouching in the seat.

"The feeling is mutual" Stefan assured her, slamming the door. He cursed under his breath as he walked back to his truck.

The drive back to her house was silent, both still fuming from frustration. Stefan was tapping his fingers on his steering wheel which was driving her nuts. As soon as Stefan parked his truck, Elena hopped out. She stopped immediately when she heard Stefan shut his truck off. She whipped around quickly to see him getting out. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Making sure you make it inside safely" he said sarcastically. She glared at him. "The second most annoying this in the world? Your glaring" he said, walking past her. Stefan let himself into the Gilbert house and Elena huffed as she followed him.

"Elena?" her mother called, walking into the room. "Oh thank goodness" she said, embracing her as Elena appeared from behind Stefan. "Where have you been?" Elena hugged her mother back.

"I got a flat tire" Elena answered as her father came into the room.

"She didn't have a spare tire. Her car should be secure for the night" Stefan explained.

Grayson Gilbert moved towards Stefan and extended his hand. "Thank you for looking out for her" he said. Stefan smiled as he shook his hand.

"Yes, thank you Stefan" Miranda said, moving from Elena to hug Stefan. He gladly hugged her back.

"It was no problem" he said. Elena rolled her eyes at his obvious attempt to get in their good graces.

"I'm sure Elena showed nothing but her gratefulness" Grayson said with a crooked smile forming.

"Of course" Stefan grinned. Stefan was glad he wasn't the only one who knew Elena was a handful.

"Well, we waited on dinner. Would you like to join us?" Miranda asked.

As Stefan was about to answer, Elena jumped in for him. "His brother has dinner waiting for him at home" she stated. Miranda and Grayson looked to Stefan for confirmation.

Stefan smiled at Elena. She really did not want him to stay. "He does, I'm sure. But a quick phone call would take care of that" Stefan replied. "I would love to join you" Stefan said, feeling the irritation dripping off of Elena. "But, I should be getting home. After all, Elena and I have a report to begin working on, so I should get some of my other homework out of the way" he explained.

"A dedicated student. I've always admired that about you" Grayson said, slapping Stefan across the shoulder.

"Maybe next time" Miranda smiled.

"I'd like that" Stefan told her.

"Thank you for getting Elena home safe" Grayson said as he walked with Stefan to the door.

"It was no problem" Stefan replied.

"Hey, do you have plans next weekend?" Grayson asked him. "I was thinking a fishing trip is in order. Jeremy and I could use a weekend of being out on the lake. You should come with" he suggested. Elena rolled her eyes yet again. She hated when her parents were so friendly to Stefan. There was nothing friendly about the guy! Why couldn't he spend time with other people?

Stefan smiled again. "Sounds like a plan. I'll be ready by four in the morning on Saturday" Stefan said, remembering the last fishing trip they had taken. "See you then" Grayson said, opening the door for Stefan.

Despite the prissy, annoying, and self-centered daughter, Stefan really enjoyed being around that family. Even Jeremy was pretty cool. A little weird sometimes, but a good kid. Grayson had always included Stefan in family outings, more so after his parents had died. And Elena hated every minute of it. She had made it so unbearable most of the time that he had stopped spending time with them if Elena was going to be there. A weekend away fishing with the guys sounded like something he needed right now.

Before Stefan exited the house completely, he popped his head around the door to grab Elena's attention. "Elena, would you come out here for a sec?" he asked. Elena gave him a look like it was the largest inconvenience ever, but she followed him outside anyway.

"What?" she asked in an irritable tone.

"God you're bitchy today. More than your usual" he told her.

"What do you want Stefan?" she asked again.

"I wanted to discuss this project" he told her. "I can do the research and type up the report. All you would have to do is present it. Then we would not have to see each other outside of school to work on it" he suggested. It sounded good to him.

Elena thought otherwise. "No way in hell!" she said, raising her voice. "I'm not going to trust you with something that will determine half of my grade." Stefan sighed. "I'll do the whole thing myself" she insisted.

"What?" he asked. "I don't think so. I don't trust you" he fired back. Elena groaned.

"Okay, so what do we do then?" she asked. The thought of spending every day after school with him was exhausting.

"Why don't we get together tomorrow morning before the charity event and discuss what we want to research. If we divide up what needs to be done, we can work on our parts separately and then meet up before it's due to put everything together" he suggested.

Elena actually liked that idea. "Okay" she agreed. "Topic?" she asked, planning on getting some research done that night.

Stefan thought about it for a moment. "How about our ancestors?" he suggested. After all, they were members of two of the founding families. And since the assignment was to research a history topic involving their town, he thought it was suitable for their purpose.

"Fine" she agreed again. Stefan was pleasantly surprised that she had agreed with him twice in a row.

"Good" he said, turning to walk back to his truck.

"Where and when are we meeting?" she asked. Stefan opened his door before answering. "My house. Ten" he said, jumping in and shutting his door before she could protest.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: The rating has been changed to T due to language and content. Again, thank you for all the reviews! I am always encouraged to write when I know there are people willing to read. Damon and Stefan's living situation will be addressed in this chapter. As always, read and review. **

Ten on the dot, Elena noted as she tucked her phone back into her pocket. Elena stared up at the large house in front of her, secretly thinking how lucky Damon and Stefan were to have such a large house all to themselves. It was huge inside and she remembered what an awesome place it was to play hide and seek when she was younger. No one ever found anyone and the seeker would usually give up. Sighing, Elena walked towards the door.

She knocked on the door and waited nervously. She checked behind her a few times as she waited. The Salvatore Boarding house was at the far end of town and was secluded. She had been to this house many times as a child, but never without her parents. As much as she was fascinated with the house, it was kind of creepy too.

A few minutes went by before the heavy wood door swung open. Damon stood on the other side and smiled. "Hello Beautiful" he greeted. Elena blushed slightly. He had that effect on her. She had a crush on him since she could remember. Elena had always considered him to be too old to have any interest in her, but she could still stare at him. "Please, come in. Stefan is expecting you" he said, stepping aside.

Elena entered the house, clutching her book bag to her closely. "Is he upstairs?" Elena asked.

"Yeah. Go on up" Damon said. Elena nodded her thanks and began climbing the stairs. She was well aware that Damon was watching her.

Elena reached the second floor and walked slowly down the hallway. The old floor creaked beneath her. She passed through the hallway, looking around her. When she reached Stefan's room, she saw his door was opened. Stefan looked up from his book to see her standing in his doorway. "Are you going to stand there all day?" he asked her.

"Are you going to invite me in?" she countered. He motioned his hand in an uninterested way and went back to his book. Elena dropped her bag on his bed and then sat down on it. Elena pulled a book of some sort out of her bag and walked over to him. "What are you reading?" she questioned, leaning over his shoulder.

"An ancestor's journal" he replied, slapping it shut.

Elena dropped her own journal on the desk in front of him. "Crazy ancestor Jonathon Gilbert" she said. Stefan picked it up and thumbed through it. It looked interesting enough.

"We are going to need more than two journals" he reminded her.

"That's all I have of that. But, the library is bound to have old archives dating back as far as we need to go" Elena explained. Stefan nodded.

"So, how do you want to go about this?" Elena asked. "We need to narrow our topic." Stefan sighed, clearly wishing he could still be sleeping right now. "How about the hysteria over vampires during the Civil War?" she suggested, grabbing her ancestor's journal back and opening it up.

Stefan raised his eyebrow. "Seriously? You want to do our report on a load of crap?" he asked. "That a bunch of drunk dudes made up?"

Elena slapped the journal shut, completely annoyed. "Doesn't matter whether or not it was real. What matters is that they believed it was" Elena corrected him. "I think there was some truth to it" she added.

Stefan laughed disbelievingly. "You believe that there were dead people running around, feeding on living people, causing chaos in the town?" he asked. "Sounds a little too farfetched to me" he said.

Elena crossed her arms. "Fine. Let's be boring and do our whole report on how the men sat around smoking cigars and the women stayed in the home and cooked" she shrugged.

Stefan groaned. "You always have to have your way, don't you?" he asked in annoyance.

"Works out better for everyone that way" she replied.

"Fine, vampires it is" he agreed. Elena smiled.

"How about I do the history and myth of the vampires in the area and you work on the reactions from our ancestors and the townspeople?" he suggested.

Elena thought about it for a moment. "Sounds doable" she answered.

"So if we touch base every few days to see how we are doing, and then have everything ready to put together for a presentation, we should be good to go" Stefan told her. "And we should start a rough outline today so we know who is doing what" he added.

"Fine" she said, sitting back down on his bed. She looked around his room, noticing how simple the décor was. Save for the large plasma screen T.V. and entertainment center. His bed was larger than she remembered the last time she was over, and his bedding was a simple forest green. His dressers were made of a fine oak she was sure, as was his desk. His black leather swivel chair hardly matched the wood desk, but it was probably more comfortable. The one thing Elena thought was seriously lacking in his room was photos. He had none.

Stefan came and sat down on his bed a few feet away from her, bringing her attention back. He took out a notebook and a pen, ready to jot the outline down. They spent over an hour arguing back and forth about what each would talk about. Elena was so frustrated that he refused to agree with her on anything that she almost walked out several times. Miraculously, they had come up with something. "I can go to the library on Sunday" Elena said, hoping he would take the hint and not do his library research that day. He simply nodded, uninterested again. Stefan stood up and scanned a copy of the outline, then handed it to her. "How I am supposed to read this chicken scratch?" she asked, offended that he would make her do such a thing.

"Very carefully" he replied.

Just then, Damon came walking into the room with two plates in his hand. "How's the project going?" he asked. Stefan stood up from the bed quickly and went back to his desk. Elena did not say anything. "Okay …" Damon said awkwardly. "I made you two lunch" he said in a chipper tone. He handed Elena her plate first and then walked over to Stefan to give him his.

"Thank you Damon" Elena said.

"You're welcome. I will let you two get back to it" he said, looking at Elena. As soon as Damon left, Elena noticed that Stefan relaxed a little. Elena picked up her sandwich and took a bite. Stefan pushed his sandwich aside.

"So, are going to the Lockwood's tonight?" she asked in between bites of her sandwich.

"Don't have a choice. Damon already said I was" Stefan said.

"Well if you don't really want to go, don't" Elena said. It seemed pretty simple.

Stefan chose to ignore her comment. "I think we're done here" he said, standing. Elena set the rest of her sandwich down. She stood from the bed, sensing his change in mood. She hated his moodiness. If he wasn't being arrogant, he was being an ass. Elena grabbed her bag, plate and the journal and began walking toward the door. "Don't mess this up" Stefan called out, causing her to turn around. "I don't want you screwing up my grade" he said bitterly.

Elena stared him dead in the eye. "Screw you" she said. "You're such an ass" she added before turning and going back downstairs.

She rounded the corner to the kitchen and stopped when she saw Damon. "Hi there" he said, his blue eyes shimmering and his smile infectious.

"H…hey" she stumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He stared at her and she remembered why she was there. "I brought this back down" she said, handing the plate to him. "Thanks again."

Damon smiled at her once again. "You two get a lot done up there?" he asked. "Or was Stefan being all brooding and serious as usual?"

Elena laughed as she walked towards him by the sink. "He was a pain in the ass, as usual" she answered.

Damon chuckled at the thought. "Have a seat" he said, grabbing her bag and setting it on the floor. He placed his hands on her waist and picked her up gently, placing her on the counter. She felt herself begin to blush at the close contact they had just had. "Cookie?" he asked, picking one up off the baking tray and passing it to her. She took the cookie, swinging her legs back and forth slightly.

"You know, he doesn't want to go to the Lockwood's tonight" Elena mentioned, taking a bite of her cookie.

Damon shot her a glance. "It's good for him to get out and socialize with people in this town" Damon said. "Our parents knew the importance of these social functions. Networking and stuff. I'm just trying to keep up their legacy" he added with a halfhearted smile. Silence fell over them for a moment as he went back to drying the dish in his hand.

"I miss them" Elena said, then looked shyly at the floor, unsure if she should have said anything. Stefan and Damon's parents had died eight years ago. Car crash. Hit by a drunk driver. No one ever talked about it, especially not Damon or Stefan. She thought for a moment, when Damon looked back up at her, that he would say something about his parents. Anything.

"I should go and get ready for the Lockwood's" Damon said, setting the bowl on the counter. "Help yourself to more cookies" he smiled lightly. He passed by her and stopped, moving closer to her. So close that she felt her breath catch in her throat. "Always good to see you, Elena" he said quietly, placing a soft kiss on her cheek before moving back and continuing out of the kitchen. Elena stood still, frozen on the counter. Only that man had the ability to make her lose herself completely. Even if he was six years older than her, she could still fantasize, right?

Elena shook the thought from her head and hopped down off the counter. She grabbed another cookie and headed out. She had to get ready for the Lockwood's.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Is that phone going to be attached to your hand the entire night?" Miranda asked her daughter.

Elena smirked as she briefly looked up. "No. I'm just trying to find out if Bonnie and Caroline are here yet" Elena explained. When she got the text from Bonnie, she smiled. "They're here" Elena said, excusing herself to go and meet them.

Stefan and Damon were already at the Lockwood's. Damon had a glass of bourbon in his hand, standing on the opposite end of the room as Stefan, talking to Mayor Lockwood. Stefan was standing with the mayor's son, Tyler, and his other friend, Matt. They were talking about football mainly, especially the upcoming Fall season.

Stefan noticed Elena the instant she walked into the room. Her brown hair, now in loose curls around her face, was not what caught his attention. It was her bare legs as the bottom of her dress bounced just above her knees. The dress was purple with some ruffles. "Wow" Tyler noted. "She looks hot" he added.

Matt punched him in the shoulder. "Dude, she's my ex. Stop looking at her like that" he warned.

Stefan took a drink of his punch. "Nothin' special" Stefan said, adding his thoughts. "So she can curl her hair and put a short dress on? Just makes her look desperate" Stefan continued.

"Harsh" Matt told him and Stefan just shrugged.

"Just be glad you didn't get stuck with her for your final project" Stefan snapped coolly.

"It could have been worse" Tyler said, tipping his drink at him. "I wouldn't be complaining if I got to spend time with a girl who looks like that" Tyler smiled.

"She has a personality" Matt interrupted.

"Psssshhh" Tyler disagreed.

"No amount of looks can make up for what's on the inside" Stefan explained. "Selfish, spoiled, whiny brat who only cares about herself. Annoying as hell too." Matt and Tyler looked at Stefan, trying to decide if they should say something.

"She says the same about you" Caroline piped in from behind, catching them by surprise.

"What's your point, Caroline?" Stefan questioned. While he could tolerate her, the facts still remained. She was Elena's friend.

"My point, Stefan" she said, pointing her finger at his chest. "Is that you claim to hate her, yet you can't stop staring at her" she told him. Stefan quickly averted his eyes away from Elena and to Caroline.

"If that's what you think Caroline, then I cannot change your mind" Stefan shrugged, taking a drink.

"I know for a fact that you and Elena will end up together" Caroline stated bluntly.

Stefan nearly choked on his drink. "Are you nuts?" Stefan asked. Tyler and Matt looked on with wide eyes.

"You two are clearly, sexually attracted to one another. You fight like crazy to resist it. It's only a matter of time before you two hook up, realize you love each other, and get married" she smiled. "How romantic is that? The son and the daughter of two of Mystic Fall's founding families."

"Hell would sooner freeze over" Stefan stated.

"If you say so. But I should have you know, when it comes to relationships, I am never wrong" Caroline stated confidently. "Enjoy yourselves" she smiled, running her hand over Stefan's chest before walking away.

"Well, she doesn't hold back, does she?" Matt asked. Stefan sighed. "Hey, I'm going to say hi to Elena" Matt said, excusing himself.

Stefan watched Matt make his way over to Elena, pulling her into a hug. How Matt had ever dated Elena was beyond his logical reasoning.

"Is Caroline right? Is there sexual attraction between you and Elena?" Tyler asked, moving closer to Stefan.

"No" Stefan scoffed. "God no" he said, shaking his head.

Tyler smirked. "I have a feeling that she would have an easier time resisting you than you would resisting her." Stefan gave him an unconvinced look. "I see the way you stare at her dude. You want her. And she always stares at you like she's about ready to kill you."

Stefan scoffed again. "I do not want her" he defended.

"But do you think you could get her?" Tyler asked.

"What are you getting at?" Stefan asked.

"A bet" Tyler announced.

"A bet?" Stefan repeated.

"Yeah. I bet that you can't get Elena to sleep with you" Tyler said.

Stefan looked at him in disbelief. "You're twisted" Stefan told him.

"Am I?" Tyler asked. "I think you're just being defensive because you know you can't get her to sleep with you" he shrugged.

A challenge. Stefan took offense immediately at that. "I'm not getting defensive. But I've known this girl and her parents my whole life. I'm not going to get into her pants to prove you wrong" he explained.

Tyler shrugged. "I'm not suggesting you force her to do anything. I'm suggesting that you get her to want you so bad that she can't resist" Tyler told him. "But hey, if you think you can't do it, I understand" Tyler shrugged again, beginning to leave.

Stefan groaned. He would not let Tyler play him like this. "Wait" Stefan said. Tyler turned around, smiling. "How long do I have?" Stefan asked, eyeing Elena.

"Let's say … by the end of the summer. So, roughly three months."

Stefan nodded. He could do it. "Easy" he said, taking a final sip of his drink.

"Hey, are you going to that party tomorrow night?" Tyler asked.

"Nah, I've got that project to work on. You know, the one you should probably be working on too" he hinted.

Tyler laughed. "Elena's gonna be there. Might be a perfect opportunity to start losing this bet" Tyler said.

Stefan grinned. "I don't need to make my move just yet. I have time" he said. He did not need to seduce her in front of people. He needed to get her alone. "I'll see you at school on Monday" Stefan said, setting his glass down and walking away.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was sitting on one of the benches out on the lawn, looking out at the water. The Lockwood mansion was spectacular, but she had always admired the property more. The trees and pants all articulately planted. The numerous fountains and lawn decoration.

The sound of crunching on the ground made her turn towards the intruder immediately. As far as she knew, everyone else was still inside. "The party's inside" Stefan said, hands in the pocket of his jacket. Elena turned back to the water. She should have known.

"Then you should get back to it" she said, offering no hint that she wanted him to stay out there with her. Elena had been enjoying the silence. Even if she wanted the company, he was not the type of company she kept.

Stefan smiled. She really was determined to hate him until the day she died. Did he hate her? Hate was such a strong word. "Beautiful night" Stefan tried again, standing just behind her.

Elena sighed out of irritation. "Is there something I can help you with?" she asked. When Stefan did not respond, she continued. "Isn't there some other relative of mine whose ass you can kiss instead of bothering me?" she asked. "Like, Aunt Jenna? I don't think you charmed her yet this month" Elena said out of annoyance. Everyone in her family loved the guy. Except her Uncle John, but he didn't like anybody. It infuriated her that Stefan was always seen as the good guy. He wasn't.

Stefan smirked. "I'm having lunch with her next Tuesday actually" he mentioned. "You should join us."

Elena silently groaned. The nerve of him to wave that information in front of her and then slap on an invite. "I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a spoon over and over again" Elena said.

Stefan laughed as he moved around the bench to sit beside her. "Oh, Elena. Your theatrics amuse me."

Elena moved to the far side of the bench to get away from him. "Leave" she said sternly. Stefan looked back out over the water, choosing to ignore her. "I said leave" Elena said, a little harsher this time.

"You heard her, Stefan" a voice came from behind them. Elena turned to see Damon walking towards them.

Stefan remained facing forward. "Hello Damon. What a pleasant surprise. Thank you for interrupting our evening" Stefan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Elena watched as Damon stepped to face Stefan, a serious look on his face. "It doesn't appear that Elena wants you here anymore. So, either get up and leave on your own, or I will make you leave" he threatened.

Fear began to surface in Elena as she watched the two brothers. It was no secret that the two did not get along. The last thing she wanted to witness was a fight, even if Damon was just trying to help her. "It's okay Damon, really. I'll go back inside" she said, standing from her seat.

"Nonsense, Elena. My brother will respect your wishes" Damon said, continuing to stare at Stefan. "Get up, and leave" Damon said sternly.

Stefan looked up at Damon for the first time with a hint of defiance in his expression. "Screw you, Damon" he said. Stefan watched Damon's forehead twitch slightly, knowing he was agitated. Then it happened. Damon had Stefan by the collar of his jacket, pulling him up to his feet and getting real close to his face. "Well aren't you the big man now" Stefan taunted.

Damon threw Stefan to the ground, diving back on him and attempting to get a punch in. Stefan had Damon's arms subdued in a matter of seconds, but Damon was able to break free. "Shut your mouth you spoiled, ungrateful little bastard!" Damon yelled, throwing his right hand and coming into contact with Stefan's jaw. Stefan groaned in pain, but not before hitting Damon in the stomach.

As the two fought on the ground, Elena found herself screaming at both of them. "Stop it!" she yelled. "Stop it right now!" she continued to yell.

It was not long until she could hear her father and Mayor Lockwood yelling at Stefan and Damon to break it up as they came running across the lawn. Elena stepped back as the mayor grabbed Damon off of Stefan and her father helped Stefan up. "That's enough!" her father yelled. Stefan quickly stopped his attempt to go after his brother. His heart was racing. Damon put his hands up in the air, signaling his surrender.

"I'm sorry" Stefan said, apologizing to Elena's father and the mayor.

The mayor nodded his acceptance of it as did Grayson. "Go cool off, okay?" Grayson said. Stefan nodded, stealing a look at Elena before turning around and heading inside. "Elena, get back in the house" her father ordered. Elena looked from her father to Damon before walking quickly past them. Grayson waited for Elena to be out of ear shot before approaching Damon. "You listen to me and you listen good" Grayson warned. "Stay away from my daughter." Damon glared at him with daring eyes. "As for Stefan. If you touch him again, there will be consequences" he explained vaguely. "I think of Stefan as my own and if I have to protect him or Elena or Jeremy from you, I will take extreme measures. Is that understood?" Grayson asked.

Damon continued to glare. "How about you mind your own damn business, huh, Pops?" Damon asked. "What happens between Stefan and I is none of your damn concern." Damon shrugged off the mayor's hands and began walking past a fuming Grayson. "Tell Elena goodnight for me" Damon said, a smirk beginning to form. It took all of Grayson's strength not to turn around and hit him.

Grayson watched Damon leave before heading back inside with the mayor. Grayson spotted his daughter with her group of friends and made his way over. "Evening girls" he smiled.

"Hi Dr. Gilbert" Bonnie greeted. Caroline did the same.

"Could I borrow my daughter for a minute?" he asked. The girls nodded. Elena reluctantly left with her father, finding a quiet area out in the hallway. "Elena" he sighed.

"I already know what you're going to say" Elena said, stopping him. "But it wasn't Damon's fault. Stefan started it!" Elena insisted.

"I don't want to hear it" Grayson said, putting his hand up. "Damon is bad news. I don't want you anywhere near him. Do you understand?" he asked. "I don't like how he treats Stefan or anyone else for that matter."

Elena figured it would be easier and faster to agree to her father's wishes. "Okay" she said, sighing.

Grayson smiled. "I love you. Have fun tonight at the party with your friends" he said, leaning forward and kissing the top of her head.

"I will" Elena said, hugging him. She looked over her father's shoulder to see Stefan brooding in the corner. He locked his eyes with hers. He was staring at her intensely. She brushed it off though. She had a party to look forward to. And Stefan would not be there.

**A/N: The next chapter will be full of angst. I am warning you now so you can prepare yourselves! It will be the chapter that starts to get the ball rolling with Stefan and Elena. Finally, right? Thanks again everyone.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N This chapter was hard to write, but I think it was necessary. As always, please read and review. Thanks everyone!**

Stefan winced as the unforgivable sound of his phone buzzing, filled his ears. His eyes slowly began to open in his dark room, lit only by the screen of his phone telling him that Matt was calling. Stefan grabbed his phone and looked at the time. 1:23 AM. "What the hell" Stefan groaned. He answered the call, placing his hand over his forehead in frustration. "We have school in six hours" Stefan reminded in an irritated tone.

"Stefan…" Matt said, on the verge of panic, his voice laced with fear. Stefan sat up some, hearing his friend's distress.

"What's wrong?" Stefan asked.

"You … you need to come to the hospital. It's … it's Elena" Matt struggled.

Stefan's breath caught in his throat. "Is she okay?" he asked, feeling somewhat stupid for asking that question. Of course she wasn't if she was in the hospital.

There was a silent pause before Matt spoke. "You should hurry" Matt said solemnly, hanging up.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

A surge of fear raced through Stefan as he raced through the emergency room doors, searching for a familiar face. He was met by quite a few worried faces. "What happened?" Stefan demanded, stopping in front of Matt, Bonnie, and Caroline. Fear continued to work through Stefan as he watched the three of them look from one to another, silently debating on who would explain. Bonnie instantly burst into tears again and Matt wrapped his arms around her, taking her over to a chair. Stefan searched Caroline's tear-stained face. "Caroline?" he pressed.

"There was … a car accident" she said, fighting back a new set of tears. "Her parents … her parents went to the party to pick her up. On the way home, they … they went off the road and … and their car went into a tree" she said, bursting into tears.

Stefan swallowed hard, feeling the panic start to rise in him once again. "Are they, are they going to be okay?" he asked quietly.

Caroline shook her head in uncertainty. "I … we don't know. Elena, she's in surgery now" she said, wiping at her tears. "I don't know about her parents."

Stefan grabbed her hand out of instinct, squeezing it. He looked up and past her to see Jenna on the other side of a set of doors, leaning against the wall. "I'll be right back" he said, leaving Caroline. He walked through the doors and Jenna looked up at him, crying and almost a shade of white. "What's going on?" Stefan asked. Jenna shook her head, closing her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks. "Jenna" he said softly.

Just then, a doctor began walking their way. "I'm sorry for taking so long to get back to you" he said, gripping his chart.

The doctor looked at Stefan and Jenna just nodded. "He's fine" she said, urging the doctor to give her an update.

"Your niece is still in surgery. We found more internal bleeding than we were expecting" he explained.

"But she's going to be okay?" Jenna asked weakly.

"She's going to have to fight" the doctor responded. Stefan felt his heart drop into his stomach. Fight? As in, she could die? "Your brother-in-law is being prepped for surgery now. He has suffered severe injuries to his brain and there is a lot of swelling" the doctor added.

Jenna nodded. "And my sister?" Jenna asked. Stefan and Jenna watched the doctor's eyes fall to his hands. "

I'm sorry" he said regretfully. Jenna shook her head as more tears formed. "We did everything we could. She went into cardiac arrest and we could not revive her. I am so, so sorry" he said again.

Jenna took in a sharp breath only to realize that she couldn't breathe. "No, no no no" she cried, covering her face as she broke down. Stefan felt his eyes burning, threatening to spill with tears as the realization hit him. Miranda was gone. And Elena and Grayson were fighting for their lives. The doctor excused himself to get back to Elena's surgery, leaving Jenna with Stefan. "No, no, no" she continued to cry, feeling lightheaded. Stefan watched Jenna stagger sideways and he quickly caught her, holding her up.

"I'm so sorry Jenna" he said, bringing her into a hug. He was holding her tight so she did not have to support herself. "I'm so sorry" he repeated, a single tear slid down his cheek.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jenna slowly pulled herself away from Stefan, grateful for his comfort but needing some space. "I … I need to make a few phone calls" she croaked out. Stefan nodded his understanding. He watched as Jenna slowly drug her feet across the floor to the set of double doors and walked through them. Stefan leaned against the wall that Jenna had been using to support herself. He rubbed his hand over his face, trying to digest everything that was happening. He kept telling himself that this was some sick and twisted dream and he was going to wake up any minute now. He closed his eyes and waited.

Soon, he heard commotion at the other end of the hall. A gurney lined with doctors and nurses was rushing his way. They pulled over and waited for the elevator. Stefan looked over and realized it was Grayson. He had an oxygen mask covering his face and he was hooked up to all sorts of things, but Stefan knew it was him. Carefully, Stefan approached them. His face turned pale when he saw just how dangerously injured Grayson really was. "Dr. Gilbert?" Stefan asked, his voice almost failing him.

"Sir, please stand back" a nurse politely told him. Stefan ignored her and watched Grayson's eyes open. His expressions showed recognition as he slowly pulled down his oxygen mask and reached his hand out for Stefan. Stefan quickly grabbed for his hand, receiving the slightest bit of hope.

"Stefan" he breathed quietly. Stefan gave him a weak smile. He was talking. That had to mean something, right? "Promise … me …you … will … take … care … of …her" Grayson struggled to get out. The look in his eyes did not sit well with Stefan.

"You're going to be just fine" Stefan said, feeling tears well up in his eyes once again. Was Grayson giving up? Was he afraid he wouldn't make it? Because that wasn't an option. Elena had already lost one parent. She couldn't lose another.

"Promise … me, you'll take care of my baby girl" he said, gripping Stefan's hand tighter. "Jeremy too" Grayson added. Stefan watched the desperation fill Grayson's eyes. As the man in front of him was fighting for his life, his only concern was his children. His children were strong, Grayson knew that. But his Elena, she would need someone to be there for her, watch out for her, take care of her, even in the years to come. Jeremy would find his way, Grayson was sure, but in the meantime, he would need looking after too.

"I … I promise" Stefan nodded. Grayson's hold on Stefan loosened and he slowly withdrew his hand back to his side. The nurse replaced the oxygen mask as the elevator door dinged. Stefan watched them disappear behind the elevator doors.

One hour. Two hours. Three. Four. Five. Thirteen hours and counting since Grayson had been in surgery. Longer for Elena. Jenna had placed herself in the seat next to a giant plant, refusing to move. Matt and Caroline brought her water, coffee, and food, all of which she refused. Bonnie sat on the other side of the room, unable to be of any help in consoling. Anytime she tore her eyes away from the picture of the waterfall across from her, she burst into tears. Matt and Caroline were also taking care of her. Stefan moved from chair to chair and paced the room every now and then. He was horrible at sitting still in a time of crisis. He felt useless. He had offered to go and check on Jeremy, but Jenna mentioned that a family friend was with him.

"How much longer do they expect us to wait?" Caroline asked. Matt just shook his head.

It wasn't ten minutes later when a surgeon came out. Jenna immediately stood and everyone else listened intently. "My niece?" Jenna asked, the exhaustion coloring her voice.

"Elena is still in surgery" he said. "Her father, Dr. Gilbert" he began, his tired eyes falling for a moment. "We lost him in surgery. I am sorry to have to deliver this news" he said, placing his hand on Jenna's shoulder. Stefan closed his eyes tight and buried his hands in his face. He felt a pair of shaky arms wrap around his arm and he knew it was Caroline. She rested her head against his shoulder. If he had any tears left, he would have let them fall. But his eyes were red, sore, and dry. Jenna sucked in a shaky breath, but she did not cry. She was all out of tears too. Her breathing did increase though and she was so focused on it that she did not notice the surgeon walk away. Her niece and nephew had lost both of their parents. And her niece was still fighting for her life. It was too much to deal with.

"Jenna?" Bonnie called, approaching her nervously. "Jenna, I'm so sorry" she said, hugging her as she cried softly. Jenna hugged her for a moment before slowly pulling away from Bonnie, feeling the need to be alone.

"Someone please call me if there is … any more news" she said quietly. Stefan, Matt, and Caroline nodded. Jenna walked out of the waiting room, feeling lost and alone. In less than 24 hours, she had lost her sister and brother-in-law, and gained guardianship over two children. One child whose survival was still up in the air.

"Should someone be with her?" Caroline asked cautiously.

Stefan shook his head slowly. "Let her be. She needs time to process this" he said, taking a seat again. He leaned forward and placed his head in his hands. The waiting was going to kill them all. It was now Monday afternoon, all thoughts about school completely lost. Stefan thought about calling Damon and letting him know, but he was sure Damon had heard by now. He would show up when it was convenient for him. Stefan removed his hands and looked around the waiting area. It was starting to get busier as more people were getting off of work and coming to visit loved ones.

An hour passed. Bonnie, Matt, and Caroline had fallen asleep in their uncomfortable chairs. Jenna had clutched the same cup of coffee for a while now, not drinking it, but not finding the strength to set it down either. Stefan had sat across the room from her, watching her carefully. He had known this woman since the day he was born. And he had always liked her. She knew how to have a good time. More importantly, she had always found time to take him out to lunch every now and then after his parents died to talk about how things were going for him. He never wanted to talk about their death, but he appreciated having someone to talk to about school or sports. He did not have any family left except Damon, but he hardly counted.

But now Stefan stared at a woman who was suffering more than he ever thought possible. He was suffering too. He had already lost his own parents. Now, he'd lost Elena's too. Grayson and Miranda had always treated Stefan like their own son when he was around. It almost seemed impossible that they were gone. Stefan sighed, standing and walking towards Jenna. He sat down in the chair next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. Jenna jumped, having not seen him. He thought about what to say. Would more condolences be a good idea? Somehow he did not think so. She needed encouragement. "She's going to be fine" he spoke softly.

Jenna shook her head slowly. "You don't know that" she croaked out. She began to cry softly, continuing to shake her head. "I can't lose her too" she cried.

Stefan pulled her closer to him and she buried her head into his shoulder. "You're not going to lose her. She's strong" he assured Jenna. "And she knows she can't get out of finishing her part of the history project" he added, hearing Jenna sniffle a small laugh. He smiled. A hint of humor in a time of crisis was his specialty. "I know it's hard to have hope after everything, but you can't give up" he said softly. He felt Jenna nod against him.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Half an hour later, Elena's surgeon appeared through the doors. Everyone was awake and immediately stood. "Elena's aunt, I presume?" he asked, extending his hand. Jenna weakly took it and nodded. "We were finally able to stabilize Elena and stop the internal bleeding. We also ran an MRI due to what we felt was a mild concussion. Everything looks okay, but swelling could appear in a day or so" he explained.

"Is she going to be okay?" Jenna asked. She barely heard anything the surgeon was telling her. She just wanted to know the most important piece of information. Would Elena live?

"She's not out of the woods yet, but I assure you that we are going to do everything we can for her" he said.

Jenna nodded. "Can I see her?" she asked.

"Of course" he replied. "She's still sedated. It will probably take her a while to wake up." Jenna nodded her understanding as she followed the surgeon. Stefan let himself breathe for the first time since the surgeon had come out. When he turned around, the other three were smiling, tears sliding down their cheeks. Stefan joined them and they all hugged one another.

"She's going to be okay" Matt said for them all. They all knew she would be okay.

"I think we should all take shifts sitting with Elena" she said. Everyone looked up at her. "Jenna can't stay with her the whole time. She's exhausted. We all are, but if one of us stays with Elena, the others can sleep."

Matt nodded. "I think that is a good idea. Let Jenna sit with her for an hour or so and then break up the rest of the shifts" Matt said. They all turned when they heard someone running down the hallway.

"Where is she?" Alaric asked, bent over to try and catch his breath. "Elena?" he asked, breathing heavily.

"Jenna is with her now" Stefan answered. Alaric sat down.

"We were just discussing splitting into shifts to sit with Elena so Jenna could get some rest" Caroline said. "So, if Jenna sits with her until five …" she mentioned.

"I'll take five to eight" Bonnie offered.

"And I can take eight to midnight" Caroline said.

"I've got midnight till six in the morning" Stefan said. Everyone looked at him curiously.

"You sure you want a six hour shift?" Matt asked.

"Yeah" Stefan said.

"Okay, I can be here at six then" Matt said.

"So that means the rest of you need to go home and sleep when it's not your shift" Alaric piped in.

"Yeah, you guys go. I'll stay here with Alaric until he takes Jenna home" Bonnie announced.

"You call me if you need anything" Caroline said before hugging her.

"I will" Bonnie assured her.

"I'll drive you home" Matt offered to Caroline. They all said their goodbyes and Matt, Caroline, and Stefan walked out together silently.

**A/N: Next chapter … will Elena wake up? Will she even survive? So many possibilities …**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wow, 38 reviews already? You guys rock! I know some of you are curious about the bet between Stefan and Tyler. I haven't forgotten about that, so don't you forget either! As for Stefan and Damon, is it simply sibling rivalry, or is something else going on? Hmmm … As always, read and review!**

Stefan entered Elena's room right at midnight, but there was no one there. Not Caroline. Not a nurse. And not Elena. Her bed was unmade, telling him that she had been there. Stefan scanned the room, his heart beating faster and faster inside of his chest. Where was she? Stefan turned around and ran out of her room, running down the hall to the nurses' station. "Elena Gilbert" he breathed out breathlessly, hands on the counter to steady himself. The nurse flipped through a chart, scanning the words carefully. Stefan noticed the look on her face, right before she set the chart down.

"I'm sorry, Sir. Elena suffered from a heart attack a few hours ago" she stated, putting the chart back in place.

"Is she in surgery?" Stefan asked, slightly confused as to what that meant. She seemed so … emotionless. Desensitized? Detached?

"She's gone" the nurse answered, somewhat neutrally.

Stefan pushed himself away from the desk, shaking his head disbelievingly. "The doctor said she was going to be okay. She was okay when I left" Stefan said, forcing his eyes to meet the nurse's. His eyes began to burn, his stomach began to ache. It wasn't fair. "It's not fair. She's only 17. She's just a kid!" he exclaimed, trying to evoke some sort of emotion out of the nurse. She looked away from him before briefly mumbling her condolences. Stefan stumbled back a few more steps, his head beginning to fill with emotions he never thought would be possible to feel towards her. But now that she was gone, these emotions came on strong. Sadness, anger, fear, and maybe, some sort of love?

"It's not fair" Stefan said sadly, leaning against the wall before sliding down it and sitting. He rubbed at his eyes as tears began to well up in them. "Damnit" he said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. The pain that had started in his stomach moved to his chest. He felt it tighten from what he was sure was heartache. "I'm so sorry Elena" he said quietly, the feeling of fatigue taking over. He had promised Grayson he would take care of her. He had failed. Somehow, he thought that if he had been in the room with her, he could have prevented her death. It wasn't true and every doctor would tell him that, but he believed that he could have made a difference. "I'm so sorry" he apologized again, taking small breaths, knowing Elena was out of them.

A loud, repetitive beeping noise filled his ears and Stefan immediately shot up in his bed. He rubbed his eyes quickly. He realized he was in his room. Stefan checked his phone. It was 15 minutes until midnight. It was time for him to meet Caroline at the hospital and relieve her. "It was just a dream" he told himself. "A really bad dream." Shaking the thought from his mind, he got up and put on fresh clothes.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan slowly walked towards Elena's hospital room, glancing at his phone every few seconds. It was almost midnight. He stopped at the nurse's desk and signed in, his hand shaking as he scribbled his signature. He continued on down the hall, eyes heavy and breathing shallow. He had failed miserably at getting much sleep before coming back to the hospital and his nightmare hadn't helped. When Stefan reached Elena's door, he looked in through the window and saw Caroline sitting next to Elena's bed, smiling as she was probably telling her something that only Elena would find to be funny. Stefan quietly let himself into the room and Caroline looked up, smiling weakly at him. "You're here" she said, trying to hide the surprise in her voice.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, a little more defensively than he had planned. It was the lack of sleep.

"I just … never mind" she said, turning back to Elena. She did not have it in her to tell Stefan that she didn't think he would show because he couldn't stand Elena. He was here. Hell, he had been at the hospital nearly all day. Caroline had noticed the way Stefan had paced the room in the waiting area as they all waited while Elena was in surgery. She had noticed how often he had looked at the clock and how he had jumped up every time a doctor had come out. Less than 24 hours ago, he could not stand to be around Elena Gilbert. And now, when tragedy had struck, he seemed to have a change of heart. A need to make sure she was okay. "How did you sleep?" Caroline asked.

Stefan decided to not tell Caroline about the nightmare. It would only freak her out. "As well as could be expected" was all Stefan replied with. "How is she?" Stefan asked, deciding to ease past the awkwardness.

"The same" Caroline replied. "She hasn't woken up yet. The doctor said it could take a while, but that she would wake up on her own time."

Stefan nodded. "If … if she does wake up, what do I do?" he asked nervously.

Caroline smiled. "The nurse said there's no need to call for her unless Elena appears to be in pain or distress. They check up on her frequently. You know, do tests and change her IV." Stefan nodded again. "I could stay with you if you want" Caroline offered, sensing his nervousness.

"No, it's okay. Go home and get some rest. I'll call you if anything changes" he said.

Caroline nodded. She stood slightly and leaned over Elena to kiss her cheek. "I love you. Wake up soon" she whispered. Caroline turned around to face Stefan. "Talk to her" she said quietly. "So she knows that someone is here with her" Caroline explained.

"Yeah, okay" he agreed. "Goodnight" he told her.

She put her arms around him, embracing him tightly. After sitting with someone for hours who was asleep, it was nice to be near someone who was awake. Even if he was Stefan Salvatore. "Goodnight" she said, letting him go and grabbing her jacket and purse off of a nearby chair.

Stefan waited for her to exit the room before he took a seat in the chair that Caroline had been sitting in. He glanced at the clock, realizing he still had six hours to sit and wait. Stefan sighed and then grabbed a magazine off of the table that he figured Caroline had been reading. There was a whole other stack sitting across the room when he finished the one he had.

He soon lost interest in the magazine and settled for just watching her sleep. He noticed for the first time how pale she really looked. There was a large gash on the left side of her forehead which was closed up with a butterfly bandage. But he continued to stare at her.

Caroline had told him to talk to her. He thought about what to say? He could talk about school, but that was lame. She wasn't that interested in football, either. So he decided to go with a childhood memory. They had plenty. "Hey, you remember when you hit me with the bat?" he asked, a small smile forming on his lips at the memory. "Your parents took you, me, and Jeremy camping. We were at a local park and your dad was pitching, your mom and Jeremy in the outfield. I was catching and you were up to bat" he reminded her. Elena's chest was still peacefully rising and falling. He wondered if she could actually hear him. "You were up to bat and I was whispering for you to miss" he said, smiling. "Your dad pitched you the ball and you swung and missed. I laughed and then you swung the bat back to get into place and ended up hitting me in the eye" he said. "I fell to my knees, holding my eye and crying. You simply told me I shouldn't have been standing so close. No remorse at all. I had to sit with a bag of frozen hotdogs on my eye the rest of the day." Stefan laughed at the memory. "I was so mad at you, but looking back on it, you were right. I was standing too close." He looked at her and sighed. He had been wrong a lot when it came to her.

Stefan yawned for the first time since he had arrived. It was now just past four in the morning and he was half tempted to take a small nap before Matt arrived at six. He rested his head down on the edge of her bed, figuring she wouldn't mind seeing as how she was out like a light anyway. Just as he let his eyes close, he heard what sounded like a breath being drawn in. Immediately he raised his head and looked at Elena. Her eyes were wide open and she was staring ahead of her. He sat there dumbfounded and not sure what he should do. Was she really awake? Or was she still kind of out of it but with her eyes open? "Elena?" he asked cautiously. She blinked a few times before slowly turning her head towards him.

"Hey" he said with a sigh of relief. "Are you in any pain?" he asked, thinking of what Caroline had told him.

"No" she answered softly, barely above a whisper. She didn't really feel anything. "What happened?" she asked, equally as quietly. Her eyes scanned the room she was in. It was a hospital. Stefan shifted his weight in the chair out of nervous habit. He had not really prepared himself for this. He actually hadn't planned on her waking up during his shift. Stefan reached for her hand and grabbed it. She looked at her hand in his and then back up at him with bewilderment. Was this compassion? He had never shown her any before. More importantly, why was he sitting there with her?

Stefan took a deep breath before explaining. "You were in a car accident. You're at the hospital now. They had to do surgery, but you're going to be just fine" he said, hoping he sounded encouraging.

Elena's face remained blank for a moment as she struggled to register what he had just said. Car. Accident. Moments later, a wave of recognition swept across her face. "We went off the road" she spoke softly.

"Yeah" Stefan nodded. "You did." That had been the story he had gotten out of Caroline who heard it from her mom.

Elena closed her eyes for a second and then opened them again. He could tell that she was still fighting the sedative the doctors had given her. "Where's my mom and dad?" she asked. Stefan froze. Then she saw the instant look of fear appear across his face. His eyes showed it. Stefan had known this question was coming, yet he was still caught off guard by it. He gripped her hand tighter and struggled to find the right words. Were there any right words for a situation like this? "Elena …" he began, but then stopped himself. He did not want to tell her the truth. He wanted so desperately to tell her that they were on their way to see her. But he couldn't sit there and stare into her eyes, telling her a lie. She had been through so much already. The realization that two more people close to him were gone hit him instantly.

Elena picked up on his hesitation instantly. She pulled her hand away from his. "Stefan where are they?" she demanded, speaking a little louder. She watched two tears pool at the corner of his eyes. Was he going to cry? She had never in her life seen Stefan cry. Well, maybe when he was a kid, but not recently.

"I'm so sorry Elena" he said, reliving both instances where he had learned of their deaths. "They're … they're gone" he said quietly. Elena stared at him blankly for a moment, as if she had not registered what he had just said. Then, she shook her head slowly, refusing to believe him.

"No" she said, shaking her head again. She refused to believe that they were gone. But the painful look on his face remained, telling her that it was true. Her own tears began to form and before he knew it, she was crying too. "Please Stefan" she begged. "Go and find them" she cried softly. She had never asked anything of him before, but she needed him to do this for her now. The desperation in her voice nearly killed him. "I need my mom and dad" she told him, almost in a whimper.

Stefan's heart broke a little more with each second that passed. Part of him wanted to stand up and run out of that hospital room and never look back. Another part of him wanted to grab her and hold her tight until all of her pain disappeared. But, he forced himself to sit there with her. "I can't Elena" he said regretfully.

"Yes you can, Stefan, please" she continued to cry. Elena rolled her head to the side and closed her eyes. She opened them again, turning back towards him.

"Elena …" he said, but then stopped when he saw the look on her face change.

"You're lying!" she accused, attempting to sit up and move away from him. Stefan was a liar and he didn't care about her. He was only saying these things to hurt her; she was sure of it. All he ever did was hurt her and make her miserable. She cried harder when she realized how much it hurt to try and move.

"Please don't move" he said, standing so he could try and stop her. "You've just had surgery" he reminded.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled. Stefan immediately let go of her. Elena lay back down and covered her face, her crying now turning into irregular sobs. Stefan sat back down, feeling helpless.

After a few minutes of her crying, he tried again. "Elena, look at me" he said. When she refused to remove her hands from her tearstained face, he grabbed her hands and pulled them away.

"Get away from me!" she screamed. "You're a liar! I hate you! I hate you!" she continued to yell. Elena again tried to sit up despite Stefan's protests.

"Damnit Elena, stop it!" he yelled. His yelling only intensified her crying.

"Get away from me!" she yelled again. Stefan was at a loss for what to do and was terrified that she would hurt herself if she kept moving like she was doing. He hit the call button for the nurse and waited frantically.

The nurse was in the room in seconds, questioning what was going on. "She knows about her parents. I … I can't get her to calm down" he said nervously. The nurse grabbed Elena's IV and injected something in to it.

"He's lying. Get him away from me!" Elena cried.

"There, there, child, breathe in and out for me" she soothed. Elena listened to her calm voice as the medication began to take effect. Moments later, Elena's eyes were closed and her breathing resumed to normal.

Stefan finally let himself breathe again. He ran a hand through his messy hair. "I shouldn't have let her find out that they were dead" he said. "I should have told her they were fine." The look of guilt he displayed broke the nurse's heart.

"There is never a right time to tell someone that he or she has lost a loved one" she said, trying to soothe his guilt-ridden conscious. "She needed to know" she assured him. Stefan nodded, not knowing if he believed that or not. "You give me a holler if there's anything else I can do" she said, walking back out of the room. Stefan sighed and closed his eyes. Six o'clock couldn't come soon enough.

**A/N: So, will he just walk away? It would be easier, right? And she doesn't want him around it seems. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you again for the reviews. You all are awesome! **

It had been two days since Elena's outburst with him when she had found out about her parents. He had told Matt what had happened when Matt showed up to take over sitting with Elena. Then Stefan had gotten the hell out of there and was pretty sure he was not going to come back. But he did. Because something told him he had to.

So he was back at the hospital, frantically thinking about what he would say to her. She probably hated him more than anyone at the moment. After all, he had been the one to tell her that her parents had died. Hell, she hated him since the day she was born. Despite what she thought of him, he needed to know how she was.

Stefan heard commotion coming from the end of the hall as he walked. His pace quickened as he recognized Jenna's panicky voice. "Elena, calm down" Jenna said, attempting to place her hands on Elena's shoulders. When Stefan entered the room, he could see Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt huddled around one side of the bed with Jenna on the other. When he stepped closer, he could see Elena, face stained with tears and an exceptionally angry expression he had only seen a couple of times. There was her "I'm pissy and you need to leave me alone now" angry expression and her rare "I'm so angry I would kill you if given the chance" angry expression. The latter was what she was sporting now.

"Get out!" Elena shouted at them. Her eyes were puffy and they were red along with her cheeks.

"Elena, we just want to help" Bonnie said in that caring voice she always had. She reached her hand out to touch Elena, only for Elena to smack it away.

"You want to help me? Then leave me the hell alone!" Elena yelled. Stefan saw the hurt look spread across Bonnie's face. Bonnie was on the brink of tears.

"Elena!" Jenna gasped. Never in her life had she seen her niece behave in such a way toward her friend. Bonnie and Elena had known each other since middle school. They had been inseparable ever since.

"You too, get out!" Elena yelled, turning her anger back to her aunt. Jenna's mouth fell shut. If she hadn't been so exhausted and emotionally drained, she would have defended herself to Elena. Instead, she remained silent.

Stefan felt frustration building within him. He had to remind himself of what Elena was going through. Stefan knew Elena was hurting. He knew she was angry and confused. But never in his life would he have expected her to act so hostile towards her friends and family. Matt seemed to recognize Stefan's presence first, followed by the others. "Give us a minute" Stefan said before he could stop himself. Elena was going to chew him up and spit him out. He knew she would. But he could take it. Bonnie did not hesitate to leave and Stefan noticed she was crying finally. Matt and Caroline followed Bonnie to comfort her. Jenna was a little more reluctant to though.

"Elena" she said, reaching for her hand again. She was her aunt. Her closest living relative. She was supposed to be able to comfort her own niece. She was supposed to be able to fix things.

Elena pulled her hand away. "Leave me alone!" Elena said harshly. Jenna looked at Stefan in defeat before turning around and silently leaving.

As soon as the door shut, Stefan walked over to Elena's bed and bent down to her level. Elena glared up at him. She probably would have smacked him if she thought she had the advantage. "You listen to me and you listen good" he told her. "Those people out there love you. And you don't get to treat them like that!" he said harshly. Elena turned her face away from him, intent on ignoring him. "Hey!" he said, getting her attention again. Elena reluctantly looked back up at him, her eyes glaring into his. "I know you're hurting. Believe me, I know. But they are hurting too" he told her with a softer tone.

She continued to glare at him for a long moment before responding. "Screw you Stefan" she bit at him. "You think you know how I am feeling? Huh? Because your parents died eight years ago?" she asked angrily. Stefan accepted her anger. He knew she needed to get it out and he would much rather she take it out on him. But that comment had stung. He tried hard to not think about his parents because it was still painful for him to accept.

Stefan leaned over her more, placing his arms on either side of her to keep her from moving. Elena stiffened at the sudden closeness. He was intent on proving to her that he knew how she felt. "There is a hole inside of you, that you feel getting a little bigger every moment. You panic because it becomes harder to breathe, and you wonder if at any moment, you won't just stop breathing altogether" he told her in a low, shaky voice. Elena locked her eyes on his neck, refusing to look him in the eyes. But she was hanging on to every word. "You're confused, angry, scared. Because this isn't like anything you have ever felt before" he told her, watching her wall that she had so carefully built up in the hospital, begin to sway with every word he spoke. "But most of all, you hurt."

Elena could not stop the tears that slipped from her eyes, falling off of her cheeks and landing on her blanket. Her eyes involuntarily looked up and met his. "Make it stop" she whispered. He felt his heart sink a little further. How he wished he could. "Stefan, make the pain go away" she whispered once again as more tears began to flow. Stefan found himself leaning forward, taking her in his arms. Instead of pulling away, Elena gave in to the comfort she so desperately needed. He held her close, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I wish I could, Elena" he whispered back as she shook slightly in his arms, struggling to get air into her lungs. Elena buried her face in his shirt, wishing she could stay there forever and not have to face the world. Not have to face the reality that when she went home, her mom and dad would not be there. Not have to face the reality that she would have to thank every person who gave their condolences.

"Shhh" he soothed, resting one hand on the back of her neck and the other arm securely around her waist. He could not remember ever holding her this close, but for some odd reason, it felt okay. "You won't feel this way forever" he said quietly. It was the truth. After a while, the pain just sort of went away. Elena continued to cry into his shoulder while he rubbed her back gently. She started to question herself about why he was there. More importantly, she wanted to know why she was allowing herself to break down in front of him. Since when did she trust him? Then again, did she have a choice not to? He was probably the only one who didn't take offense to her angry outbursts. But this feeling she had right now, being with him. It was unsettling.

It took about 20 minutes of holding her before she fell back asleep. Stefan carefully got her comfortable before slipping out of the room. He closed the door quietly and let out a shaky breath. He leaned against the door, letting his head fall back against it. Damn. What was he feeling for Elena?

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The next time he saw her was four days later. A day he wished would have never had to come. Grayson and Miranda Gilbert's funeral. Although the funeral was not until ten in the morning, Stefan had been up since before dawn, having trouble staying asleep. The thought of putting to rest two people who had looked after him after his parents died depressed him. But the thought of having to watch Elena have to watch her parents be buried made his heart ache in a way he never thought possible. He hadn't seen her since he came by the hospital and found her yelling at her friends and her aunt. He had calmed her down, gotten her back to sleep, and then slipped out of the room like a coward, never to return. Elena got out of the hospital three days ago. He didn't even know how she was doing. He hadn't bothered to stop by. Hell, he hadn't even called.

Today, he had to face her. He would have to watch her cry. Watch her hurt. Then, he would have to feel himself hurt as well, for her and for him. Stefan straightened out his black jacket as he stood in front of the mirror. His hands shook slightly, so he clenched them, willing them to stop. Stefan's door was suddenly shoved open. "Ready?" Damon asked, in a perky tone of voice, almost as if he had forgotten where they were going. But he hadn't. "Haven't been to one of these in a while" he said casually.

Stefan cringed. But he walked toward the door, brushing past his brother. "Dick" Stefan mumbled as he continued on down the hall.

"Real mature, Stefan" Damon called out, turning and following his brother. Stefan could hear Damon behind him, whistling to himself.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The service was small and very private. Although the Gilberts were well known throughout the community, Jenna had decided it would be easier on Elena and Jeremy if only their closest friends were present. The only other family member present was Grayson's brother John. Jenna cringed at the thought of having to stand near him. The thought of breathing the same air as that man was disturbing.

Everyone had arrived and taken their place, silently waiting for the family to arrive. Stefan waited in the second row. He eyed his brother who was at the other end of the row, calm as could be. When a car door slammed, everyone turned to look. Jenna, Jeremy, Elena, and John all exited the car and began their solemn walk. Everyone turned back around, not wanting to stare at the grief-stricken family. Stefan continued to stare though, his focus on Elena. She was wearing a black dress that stopped at her knees with a small black jacket over the top of it. Her hair was pulled neatly back with a clip, her makeup flawless. For someone grieving, she looked absolutely beautiful.

As Elena walked towards the awaiting service, she tilted her head up slightly and caught Stefan looking at her. He quickly looked down at his feet, silently scolding himself for getting caught looking at her. The family took their spots up front. Jenna was in front of Stefan, with Jeremy on her left and Elena on her right. John was next to Elena.

And then it all began. The words spoken about life and death. The memories about two amazing individuals, two loving parents, were scattered throughout all of the talking. Elena stood there, locking her knees, and staring at the two wooden caskets before her. She felt detached from the moment. She knew she was standing there, but she couldn't feel anything. She didn't want to be there. She didn't want anyone else to be there either.

When the service had concluded, Elena and Jeremy stood around Jenna and John, listening to their closest friends tell them how sorry they were for their loss. People hugged Elena, but she just stood there, frozen. She heard the whispers. "Those poor children" some were saying, giving Elena and Jeremy a pitiful look. Elena hated them and instantly grew tense.

Jenna noticed how tense Elena was becoming. She turned her attention to her. "Elena?" she asked, a worried expression on her face. Stefan was standing a couple of yards away, talking with Matt. He looked up when he heard Jenna. "Are you okay?" Jenna asked Elena.

That was it. That was all Elena could take. "Am I okay?" she asked, disbelief evident in her tone. Jenna knew she had chosen poor words. "My parents are laying in a wood box about to be covered in dirt. But sure. I'm okay. I have to be. I don't have a choice!" Elena spat as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Elena, don't do this here" her Uncle John warned, growing uncomfortable with the looks the family was getting because of Elena's outburst. The family needed to hold it together. That's what Gilbert's did. They were strong.

Elena shook her head slightly. "Go to hell. When was the last time you even talked to Dad?" she asked bitterly, tears flowing freely down her face now. Jeremy looked away from her, afraid his own tears would start. John only nodded. He was not about to get into with her right then. Stefan watched Elena and John closely. He knew John had a temper. He had witnessed it on more than one occasion. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw John walk away.

"Elena …" Aunt Jenna began quietly. But she did not continue. She didn't know what to say. What did you say to two children who had just lost their parents? "I know this is hard" she continued finally. "But we're going to get through it" she promised.

Elena shook her head uncertainly. "I can't be here" she said, wiping at her tears. Elena backed away from Jenna and before anyone knew it, Elena was running.

"Elena!" Jenna called out, following after her. Stefan was right behind her, as was Matt. "Elena stop!" Jenna demanded. Panic began to set in as they realized where she was headed. Right for the busy intersection.

Elena felt her heart racing as she ran faster and faster. She had no idea where she was going, she just knew that she had to get away from everyone. From everything. Elena felt her black heels hit pavement. Before she knew it, she had stepped off of the sidewalk into oncoming traffic. Elena froze and her breath caught in her throat as she realized where she was and what was about to happen. A car slammed on its breaks, swerving in an attempt to miss her. But it was coming right towards her. She waited for the impact, waited for it all to go black, but instead, she felt herself being yanked backwards.

Suddenly, she was safely on the sidewalk with a pair of arms wrapped around her. "What are you doing?" Damon asked, his breathing heavy from running. He had seen her take off from where he was standing next to his car. He had ran like hell to get to her. Elena looked up at him, the look of fear still ever present on her face. Damon held her face in both of his hands, looking into her eyes. "You're okay" he said, looking for a sign of agreement. Elena nodded her head quickly, her breathing becoming quick as it tried to catch up from being held for so long. Damon pulled Elena close to him.

Jenna, Stefan, and Matt had witnessed the whole thing. Jenna grabbed Elena right out of Damon's arms and held her tight. "What were you thinking?" she asked frantically. "You could have been hurt!"

Elena buried her face in her aunt's shoulder, holding her tightly. She wasn't thinking, and that was the problem. Stefan focused on breathing, but shot a glance toward Damon. Damon just smirked at him. "Thank you, Damon" Jenna said, still shaken up from the whole ordeal. In her moment of relief, she had almost forgotten that he was still standing there.

Damon's eyes left Stefan's as he looked at Jenna. "Just the right place at the right time" he said modestly. "Anyone would have done the same thing."

Jenna nodded. She pulled herself away from Elena and touched her face. "Let's get you home" Jenna said. Elena let herself be guided back towards the car, with Jenna and Matt walking with her. Stefan watched helplessly as they walked away.

"My my, Brother" Damon spoke, sauntering towards Stefan. "How in the world are you going to top that?" he asked, a wide grin forming. Stefan felt his fist clench but forced himself to relax it. He wouldn't punch his brother at a funeral. Damon took notice of this. "I mean, I got in Jenna's good graces and became Elena's hero all in the same day" he continued, mighty proud of himself.

Stefan smiled to himself, looking down at the ground before looking back at his brother. "Jenna knows what kind of person you are" Stefan reminded him. "And Elena? She'll come to realize your intentions" he added.

"My intentions?" Damon asked. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're … jealous" he said, taking a step closer to Stefan. "Well well, might my baby brother have the hots for the girl he grew up with?" Damon questioned.

Stefan took the final step towards Damon, putting them face to face. "Stay away from Elena" Stefan warned. "She's vulnerable right now and you know it" Stefan said.

"You know Stefan, tell me what I can't have makes me what it even more" Damon reminded. He smirked before walking around Stefan. "Come along, we have to get home" Damon said, as if the past few minutes did not happen.

"I'll walk" Stefan said, keeping his anger in check. He could not get in that car with Damon right now.

"Suit yourself" Damon shrugged. "I'll see you at home" he smiled, walking slowly back to his car. Stefan let out a few shallow breaths before he began walking the opposite direction. He knew he shouldn't let Damon get to him like this. But with his emotions running high, Stefan knew he would have to work extra hard to keep it together.

Stefan knew what Damon's intentions for Elena were. But Stefan couldn't tell her. Not without telling her something else. Something he was sure was the last thing Elena needed to hear right now.


	7. Chapter 7

Stefan gripped the papers in his hand tightly as he made the short walk from his truck to Elena's doorstep. A spring breeze whipped by, rustling the papers, but Stefan hardly noticed. He was far too nervous to care. It had been well over a week since he had last seen Elena. Like a coward once again, he had failed to call her or even stop by and see her. Instead, he had thrown himself into the history report he was supposed to do with her on vampires. He knew it was a selfish move to make, but he just couldn't bring himself to face her. From what he had heard since the funeral, she was back to being angry. Her friends had continued to take most of her verbal blows when they visited. Although Matt explained to him in class that Elena was grieving and did not mean half the snarky remarks she made, Stefan could still hear the hurt in his voice. Stefan knew Elena all too well and expected nothing less from her, even if she had broken down in front of him. When she was upset, she went through her angry phase. When she got that out of her system, she went into her shutdown phase where she wouldn't talk to anyone. That phase usually lasted the longest and he could not remember the last time he saw her in that phase.

But today, he would see her in that phase. Stefan took a deep breath and then knocked on her front door. After a minute or two, he heard the soft footsteps of Jenna approach. She unlocked the door and opened it halfway. A weak smile disappeared as quickly as it appeared. She looked a mess and she was well aware of it. "Hi Stefan" she said, brushing a loose piece of hair out of her eyes. She had dark circles under her eyes and Stefan was pretty sure she had been in the same pair of old sweats for days now.

Stefan realized he was staring and quickly averted his eyes to inside. The house looked even more a mess. "How are you?" he asked before he could think. Of course she wasn't good. "I'm sorry. Stupid question" he said.

Jenna mustered up another weak smile. "You're actually the first person to ask me that since all this started" she admitted. "And I'm ... I've been better."

Stefan nodded his understanding. "I uh … I came to see Elena. I have our grade for our final project" he explained.

Jenna glanced at the papers in his hands. "Did she contribute anything?" Jenna asked.

"Well, no. But considering the circumstances, I didn't really hold it against her. Ric said it was okay too" he explained.

Jenna nodded. "That was very kind of you Stefan. The last thing she needs right now is summer school looming over her head."

Stefan shrugged modestly. "It was no big deal" he told her.

"No, it is going to mean so much to her" Jenna disagreed. "I just, I just don't know if she is up for seeing anyone. She's been holed up in her room all week. She's not talking to anyone."

Stefan shifted his weight slightly. "I won't stay long" he said. Jenna stared up at him for a few moments, fighting the urge to tell him what she was thinking. So she stopped fighting it.

"You're so good to her, Stefan" she said quietly, a weak smile forming again. "I know she doesn't see it, but you are." Stefan didn't know what to say and Jenna realized this. "Come in" she agreed reluctantly and moved aside for Stefan.

Stefan was at Elena's door before he knew it. He tapped on it lightly with no response. Slowly, he let himself in. Elena sat in her window, wearing a pair of sweats and an oversized sweatshirt. She was staring out the window and as he approached, he tried to see what it was she was so focused on. "Hey" he said, a little uncomfortably. He waited for Elena to acknowledge him, but she never did. "I brought our grade for Salztman's project" he announced. Still nothing. "I'll just … leave it on your bed. For you to look at later" he said, placing it on her bed. Stefan stared at her for a moment. Mentally, she was far, far away. He was pretty sure she did not even realize that he was there.

Stefan walked back over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She jumped slightly in place, but continued to stare out the window. "Elena?" he asked. "Elena." Stefan sighed and removed his hand. "If you ever need anything, anything at all, you have my number. Better yet, you know where I live" he said confidently. He watched her for a few moments and then slowly made his way out of her room. When the door clicked shut, Elena slowly moved her head towards her door, staring at it blankly.

Stefan stopped by the kitchen once he made it downstairs and found Jenna sitting at the table. She was surrounded by paperwork. "School stuff?" he asked her, referring to her doctoral program.

Jenna shook her head no. "I wish. Legal stuff. Guardianship, the estate, the kids' trustfunds" she listed off. "I can't read half this legal jargon, but hey, all it needs is my signature" she said attempting to laugh it off, but he knew how stressed she really was. Stefan sat down with her for a little while, attempting to help her with the paperwork but proving to be better at finding ways to make her laugh.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"How's Elena?" Damon asked as soon as Stefan walked through the door.

Stefan shrugged off his jacket and hung it up. He looked over at Damon who was on the couch with a drink, as per usual. "Rainbows and sunshine" Stefan replied sarcastically.

"There's no need for that tone" Damon said, setting his drink down. "I was asking as her friend."

Stefan scoffed. "Her friend?" Stefan questioned.

"Yes, her friend" Damon said. "Well, as her friend, go ask her yourself" Stefan spat coolly before heading upstairs.

Stefan kicked his shoes off and sat on his bed. He felt agitated and knew it was because he could not get through to Elena. He had always been able to get some sort of reaction out of her, usually a pissed off one. But earlier, in her room, it was like she wasn't there and he had been talking to no one. It was unsettling.

Then there was Damon to add to his agitation. His dear older brother had been flirting with Elena for years. And Stefan knew that Damon would continue to flirt with her. The thought bothered him. Damon was a womanizer. And a user.

Stefan fell back on his bed and closed his eyes. He had an exam to study for, but had no energy for it. Maybe a nap would do him good.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The next day, Elena was sitting at her window once again. She had gotten herself in the shower and brushed her hair and teeth. Her wet hair was beginning to dry with a bit of a wave to it. Elena even had changed into a pair of black track pants and a light pink tank top. But much to her aunt's dismay, Elena was still not eating and she was still not talking to anyone. Jenna brought meals up to her and even sat with her, trying to strike up a conversation. But, Jenna always left the room defeated.

To make matters worse, Uncle John had shown up that morning with his bags, claiming that he would be staying at the house until all matters were settled. Needless to say, John was displeased that Elena had not come downstairs to greet him nor had Elena joined them for meals. John had criticized Jenna for bringing Elena her food and putting up with Elena's distant behavior. While Jenna had told John to piss off on more than one occasion, he still continued to criticize, though he never went to speak with Elena himself. He instead focused on Jeremy, who gave him one-worded responses and for the most part, hung out in his room and listened to his music.

But today, John was going to do something about Elena. "Elena" he said, slowly entering her room. Elena did not acknowledge him, but she knew he was there. "I need to speak to you" he said, stopping a few feet from her. "Elena" he tried again. Nothing. Frustrated with her ignoring him, John reached for her arm, grabbing her and pulling her to a standing position. To say Elena was shocked was an understatement. But her facial expression showed John that he now had her attention.

"Let go of me" she said, her tone filled with anger. But John did not let go. "Aunt Jenna!" Elena called.

"Jenna and Jeremy went to the store" John said. "Which gives us a perfect opportunity to talk about your behavior lately" he added. Elena tried to yank her arm away, but he held onto her. "We're all sad, Elena. But do you see the rest of us being holed up in our rooms, ignoring our friends?" he asked. Elena felt tears pricking at the back of her eyes. "You're a Gilbert Elena. And Gilbert's pick themselves up and move on. So I want you to stop this spoiled, selfish act you are putting on" he said in a threatening tone.

"Go to hell" she said slowly, but with just the right amount of bite. She loathed that man and for good reason. He was an ass.

John was now angry. There was no reasoning with this child. "How my brother let you grow up to be such a selfish little brat is beyond me" John said in disgust. He shoved Elena away from him, causing her to stumble backwards, but she caught herself. "Things are going to be different from now on. Starting with the way you talk to me. I will be respected, Elena. And you will be downstairs for every meal and you will talk with our friends who stop by" he explained to her.

Elena's anger began to show as she glared at him. The nerve of him to walk into her house and try and tell her what to do. "You are not my father and he would not let you talk to me this way!" she yelled at him. Her tears finally revealed themselves, but she wiped at them quickly.

John just shook his head slightly. "Your father is not here because you went and got yourself stranded at some stupid party and made him come get you!" he fired back, realizing the intentions of his statement and not caring. She deserved the truth. Elena's anger quickly faded as guilt took over. His statement hit her hard, almost like he had punched her in the stomach. "They'd still be here it wasn't for you." John realized his anger was getting the better of him and decided it was best if he went to cool off. But he had a few last words for her. John stepped closer to her, observing her. "Either respect me or get out" he told her before leaving the room.

Elena felt her tears rolling down her cheek. She hated that man, but he was right. She had killed her parents.

Not wanting to be in that house a moment longer, Elena grabbed her backpack and pulled open her drawers, throwing inside whatever articles of clothing she grabbed. Slinging it over her shoulder, she grabbed her phone and headed downstairs. John was nowhere in sight, giving her the opportunity to slip out the front door without being noticed.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena chose to walk to wherever it was she was going. She contemplated going to Bonnie's, but that was the first place they, namely Jenna, would look for her. Caroline was at school, having stayed late to work on the end of the year dance. Matt was working the night shift at The Grill. It was starting to get dark though and she was getting tired of walking. But she would not go back home. To her dismay, the rain set in, alternating from a downpour to a light drizzle, but nonetheless, soaking through her clothes.

The only other place she figured she could go would be Stefan and Damon's. Damon would surely let her stay the night. Stefan, she wasn't so sure. Elena just needed a place to crash and clear her head for the night.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stefan shut his front door and dropped a stack of books he had been using at the library on a nearby table. He enjoyed staying late at the library because it meant he could get a lot done without the distractions. Though, he had a lot on his mind. He peeled his wet sweatshirt off and tossed it on a nearby chair, making a mental note to put it in the laundry later.

Damon had gone out of town for the night, which Stefan was thankful for. He didn't even ask why Damon was going or where. Stefan went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before going upstairs to his room. He planned on watching some TV before heading to bed.

A half hour passed when he turned the TV off, bored with the program. He decided he might just try and go to bed, but he all of a sudden remembered that he had forgotten to lock his truck. Normally he would not have given it a second thought, but with the string of burglaries going on recently in the small town, he thought he had better lock up. He cursed in his native Italian as he grabbed a clean sweatshirt and pulled it on. Back out into the rain he would go.

Stefan opened the front door, hearing the loud rain immediately. He looked up to find someone standing near his truck in nothing but pants and a tank top. He couldn't understand who in the hell would be out in the rain dressed like that, but her mess of brown hair gave her away quickly. "Jesus" he said, rushing down the stairs and across the drive to her. "Elena?" he asked, pulling strands of soaking wet hair out of her face. She wasn't looking at him, focusing on the ground instead. She was shivering and her skin felt like ice. "Come on" he said, looking around as he led her in. Elena felt the warm air hit her instantly. "What are you doing out in the rain?" he asked. "What are you doing outside my house?" he questioned further. Elena remained still, but he could tell that she had heard him. He noticed her backpack and quickly helped her take it off. "Hey" he said, placing his hand on the side of her face and gently tilting her head to look at him. He could tell instantly that she was upset, that she had been crying.

As soon as Elena locked eyes with him, she burst into tears and looked away once again. "It's my fault" she cried, letting her tears fall freely. "They're dead and it's all my fault."

Stefan grabbed Elena's hands, shaking his head. "No, no it's not your fault" he told her. "Why would you say that?" he asked, slightly confused. It was an accident. An unfortunate accident.

Elena shook her head in disagreement. "He said it was all my fault that they are dead. He's right, he's right Stefan. I called them to come and get me and they died" she sobbed. Her legs began to feel shaky and she wondered if she would fall over. Stefan had a pretty good idea as to who she was referring to. "Uncle John said it was all my fault and he's so angry with me" she cried, feeling herself begin to tire though. "I can't go back there Stefan. I can't go back home with him there" she said, crying softer now.

Stefan decided that the first chance he got, he was going to deck that selfish old bastard. "Listen to me, Elena" Stefan said, tightening his grip on her hands. Elena sniffed a few times before slowly looking up at him. "He's angry and he's taking it out on you. But you didn't do anything wrong. You called your parents because you needed them. And they came because they loved you. You didn't cause the accident Elena. As hard as it is to understand, it was their time to go" he said, wondering if he believed his own words about it being their time to go. It wasn't fair. Death wasn't fair.

Elena listened to him, taking in every word and how he said it. Was he right? She wasn't sure. All she was sure of right now was that she couldn't go home. They would track her down eventually and try and make her go home. "Please don't make me go home" she said, so quietly that he had to listen very carefully to hear her.

Stefan leaned in closer to her so all she could do was look at him. "No one is going to make you do anything" he assured her. Elena nodded her head. "But you should get out of these clothes and into something dry" he suggested.

Elena allowed herself to be led upstairs by Stefan. He had grabbed her backpack to see what he could salvage for the night. But everything was wet from the rain.

Stefan grabbed her a towel and took her to his bathroom. "Take a hot shower. I'm going to try and find you something to wear" he said, a bit awkwardly. He was running on autopilot now, thinking about how best to care for her for the night. He was not used to this Elena. The one that was so broken, in so much pain. The Elena that appeared to be dead inside, having no attitude or snarky remarks for him. The awkward silence that fell over them made him wish that she would call him an ass and throw something at him.

Once he had left the bathroom, he sighed with relief when he heard the shower turn on. Now, he had to find something for her to wear and figure out what would happen tomorrow when surely, Jenna and John would be over, ready to drag Elena back home.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I hope you all enjoy this update! It will be the last one for about a week as I will be on vacation without my laptop. But, the ideas will surely form and I will be sure to jot them down so I can come back home and write! Thank you again for all of the reviews. They make me want to write more.**

Elena pulled the burgundy Mystic Falls football t-shirt over her head, adjusting it so it sat properly on her narrow shoulders. She pulled the pair of sweats on that he had also set out for her, pulling the drawstring as tight as she could to keep them on. The warm shower had felt nice, but it had also given her time to realize what she had just done. What she had been doing since the accident. Showing Stefan how vulnerable she was. Crying, breaking down in front of him, and giving up. None of those were things she wanted him to witness. It would only give him something to use against her down the road.

But Elena also reminded herself how much Stefan had been there for her lately. It was strange, yet okay at the same time. What he had said, about if she had ever needed anything had run through her mind a lot lately. Did he really mean it?

Elena ran one of his combs through her hair, looking at herself in his mirror. She looked pale and tired. No wonder he took pity on her. She was a mess. Elena sat the comb down and took a deep breath before heading downstairs.

She could hear him in the kitchen as she cautiously approached. Stefan turned around, having seen her out of the corner of his eye. "They fit. Sort of" he half smiled, gesturing to the clothes he had laid out for her. Elena watched him bring two plates over and set them down. She eyed the sandwiches on them. "Peanut butter, honey, and banana" he said, grabbing two bottles of sports drinks to add to the menu.

Elena stood there awkwardly before speaking. "I'm not hungry" she said. She hadn't been hungry since … since the accident. Every time she thought of food, a sick feeling hit her and she was sure she would get sick.

Stefan knew she hadn't been eating. Jenna had said as much. He took notice of how tiny she was and being in his clothes only made it more clear. Thoughts of her disappearing altogether ran through his mind, but he shook them away. "This is all we used to eat when we were kids" he reminded, taking a seat at the counter and twisting the cap off of his drink. "My mom stopped asking what we wanted for lunch finally because we would always ask for this" he added.

Elena was surprised to hear him talk about his mother. He never mentioned his parents, not since they died. It was nice to hear him say something though. Elena slowly made her way over to the counter and he pulled the other chair out for her. He was already biting into his sandwich. "You remember" she said quietly.

Stefan could see the hint of surprise in her tired eyes. He put his sandwich down. "Of course I remember" he replied softly. He remembered everything about every single moment they spent together, good or bad. Elena felt his eyes on her and she couldn't help but look up at him. "You used to be terrified of ladybugs" he added, sensing that she was uncomfortable with the silence. "Every. Freaking. Time you saw a ladybug, you would shriek like it was trying to eat you." He watched Elena begin to smile and a little color filled her cheeks. "I mean, I could understand a snake or a spider. But a ladybug? A tine, red and black speck with little, itty bitty legs?" he asked, his tone telling her that he was making fun of her.

But she wasn't mad or annoyed. She welcomed it because it was normalcy. He was giving her normalcy. "At the lake that one summer, one bit me. You know it did" she replied, playing along.

Stefan shook his head. She had always been so overdramatic. "And you remember what I did?" he asked, remembering back. They had been 12 at the time. Elena shook her head no. Stefan grabbed her right hand, the same one the ladybug had "bit" all those years ago and brought it to his lips before she could even protest. Elena watched as his soft lips brushed against the top of her hand, lingering there for a moment before the contact was lost. Stefan held her eyes with his own the entire time he was kissing her hand and she mentally kicked herself for not being able to look away. Stefan continued to hold her hand in his own. "I kissed where he bit you" he said, so quietly that he even surprised himself. "And do you remember what you did to me in return?" he asked.

Of course Elena remembered now. "No" she answered simply, wanting to hear him say it instead.

Stefan grinned. "You kicked me in my shin and took off running" he answered. Even as a kid, she had been pretty damn strong. He limped around for days, lying when everyone asked him what had happened to his leg. He told them he fell. Elena smirked at the memory, but it faded quickly as she was once again consumed by her thoughts.

Awkward silence fell over them and eventually, Elena pulled her hand away from his. She looked down at her plate to avoid having to look at him. "I just … don't feel hungry" she said, changing the subject real quick.

Stefan figured she would say that sooner or later. "No harm in just taking a bite" Stefan said, taking another bite of his. "I must say, I am an amazing cook. This is awesome" he added in between chewing.

Elena couldn't help but smile, something that he was hoping for. "You consider this cooking?" she questioned. Stefan shrugged. Elena picked up the sandwich and tore a piece off, taking a small bite. She caught Stefan staring at her, waiting for her reaction. "It's okay" she said shrugged.

"Okay?" Stefan asked her disbelief. "You wouldn't know fine cuisine if it came up and bit you in the ass" he told her, pretending to be offended. He didn't care if she continued to make fun of him. Because Elena was taking another bite of her sandwich.

They had settled into a comfortable silence while they ate. Once they had finished, Stefan returned to his concerned nature. "Do you want to talk about what happened at home?" he asked cautiously. She had been so upset when he had found her that he thought she might be a little more rational now after calming down. But Elena shook her head no. Having sat with him for over half an hour, she had time to cool off and actually felt more relaxed than she had in a while. "Okay" he said. Fair enough. John Gilbert wasn't exactly his favorite person to talk about either. "Do you want to watch a movie?" he tried again.

Elena shook her head no once again. She knew what she needed from him, and talking and a movie wasn't it. Elena stood up and took a few steps back from the stool. Stefan got up as well. She looked down, feeling self-conscious. "You … you said if I needed … anything …" Elena said, stumbling over her words. Why was she so nervous?

Stefan straightened up some when he heard her speak. Then he nodded. "I meant what I said" he told her.

Elena looked over at him, her hands trembling slightly as she worked up the courage to ask him. Just watching her made his heart shatter a little. Elena used to be so outspoken and now, she was so timid. But he had said he would be there for her, and he was going to make good on that promise.

"I meant it" he repeated, stepping forward and placing a hand on the side of her face, letting it rest there. "Anything at all. If you want to talk. Get out of here for a little while maybe …" he listed off.

Elena opened her mouth to say something, but then quickly stopped herself. "Never mind. It's stupid" she said, turning and walking out of the kitchen. She felt so insecure and lost and now, she was making a fool out of herself. She turned the corner and quickly went up the stairs.

Elena could hear Stefan running after her. "Elena, wait!" he called. Elena stopped just in front of his room, her back to him. Stefan grabbed her hand and turned her towards him. "Whatever you need from me, I'll do it" he said sincerely.

Elena sighed before looking up at him. He seemed sincere. "The accident. My parents" she said. "I need you … to make me forget" she told him softly. That is what she needed more than anything.

His green eyes caught her brown ones, and his eyebrows raised slightly. "I don't understand" he told her. He couldn't make her forget.

"Make me forget about everything, at least for tonight" she told him, placing her shaky hands on his chest and moving in towards him. Stefan froze as he watched her body moved in to his. Her lips were mere inches from his own now and he began to realize what she wanted from him. With her face so close to his, her heartbeat so close to his, something in that moment had changed. All he wanted to do was kiss her. Touch her. And he was pretty sure that's what she wanted too. But she was in no shape to be doing that with him or anyone else for that matter. She was far too vulnerable.

"Elena" he said quietly, his voice catching in his throat. "We … can't do this" he told her. Every rational thought in his mind was screaming at him to move away from her. To tell her goodnight and leave her standing in the hallway. But he couldn't get his body to move. "Elena, we can't" he tried again, hearing his voice crack. Elena did not accept his answer as she leaned in, pressing her lips against his before he had time to move his head away.

Stefan's hand instinctively went around her waist, holding her as close as possible, all the while deepening that kiss. God, it felt amazing. Better than he could have ever imagined. But this was wrong. He wasn't that guy who took advantage of girls when they were so vulnerable. As quickly as it happened, Stefan pulled away from her, resting his hands on her shoulders to keep her still. Elena looked up at him, her tear-filled eyes locking with his. "Elena, you're hurting right now …" he began, trying to think how he could rephrase his rejection in a way that she would accept. She simply wasn't thinking straight with everything going on in her life right now, he thought.

Elena backed away from him, frustrated and hurt. "I am so sick and tired of people treating me like some pitiful, sad little girl" she told him, with two tears spilling down her cheeks. Stefan remained silent, knowing she was going to continue. "I don't want to be that sad, pitiful little girl tonight, Stefan. I want to forget about all this bad stuff that won't leave my mind. I need someone to help me forget that I just lost my parents" she said, her brown eyes piercing his green ones. "I need someone to help me forget that tomorrow, I am going to wake up and still be living this nightmare of a life where nothing makes sense anymore" she added, her voice shaking slightly. Stefan could relate to where she was coming from. Sometimes it was just easier to forget. And he wanted to help her. If he could take her pain away, he would. But sleeping with her? Was it really the right thing to do, even if she was asking him to?

"Please Stefan, just for the night, just help me forget" she repeated to him, desperation evident in her voice but not overpowering. She wasn't begging and she would not beg. But she wanted, needed to convince him that this is what she needed. That this was okay. She had tried other distractions – music, writing, and nothing seemed to work. So why was she so convinced that he could be her distraction? Because there would be no way in hell she could think about anything else when he was that close to her, making her feel something other than sadness and pain.

Stefan held her gaze for a few moments before peeling his eyes away from her and focusing on the wall behind her. He hated seeing her so pained by her parent's death. And he wanted to help her. He could not believe that he was actually considering this. "Elena, if we do this, we can't take it back" he said, reminding her. Up until a few weeks ago, they had hated each other. And now, they were contemplating sex. Sex. Of all things.

"I know" she said with a small nod. Elena was well aware of what the consequences might entail, but she didn't care. Because the thought of an hour, maybe more, of thinking, feeling something else for the first time since the accident, outweighed all of the consequences she had come up with.

Stefan moved closer to her as she stood completely still, unable to move. As his body touched hers once again, she felt her body tense. Suddenly, the reality of what they were about to do finally set in. He dipped his head and captured her lips in a soft kiss. Elena moved her arms around his neck as he backed them into his room. She felt his hands move to her hips as he continued to kiss her. His hand soon began to slowly make its way under her t-shirt, but she stopped him. Stefan stopped kissing her, wondering if she had changed her mind. She took a few small breaths, trying to catch her breath. Even those few minutes had taken her mind off of everything. God, he was a good kisser. "Don't hold back" she finally said. Stefan swallowed hard and nodded slowly.

She leaned into him again, kissing him hard. Elena was so lost in his kiss that she barely realized that his hands were grabbing the bottom of her shirt and pulling it off of her. He quickly went to work on her sweats next, only breaking the kiss when he could not get the knot in the drawstring out. Finally, he figured it out and the pants fell in a pool around her feet. Elena pulled away from him, holding on to the hem of his shirt and looking into his eyes. Stefan swallowed hard, not sure if she was going to back out now or not. When he felt his shirt being pulled over his head, he quickly shook the thought from his mind.

Stefan pulled her close, kissing her neck softly and received a sigh of approval from her. Her head rolled back, giving him more access. He breathed her in, pressing his body closer to hers. "Elena?" he whispered in her ear. "Promise me, no regrets" he said, kissing just behind her ear.

Elena sighed contently, loving the way he made her feel. She didn't feel sad and pitied anymore. She felt wanted. "Promise" she whispered back.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you for being so patient! As I mentioned in my last update, I was in Atlanta last week visiting a friend. While there, I was not able to write, BUT, I did get to see Stefan :D Paul Wesley was filming, so I got to watch some of his scene. I am so excited for Season 3!**

**Once again, thank you for reading and reviewing. Please let me know what you think of my story. I want to write something that keeps you engaged!**

It was early morning, still too early for the sun to come up, even if it wanted to make an appearance. The rain was still coming down pretty hard. Elena watched the water streaming down the window, hearing the soft pitter patter as it landed. She lay there, completely naked with a sheet draped over her. She had fallen asleep for a few hours or so, only to wake up when the rain increased. Those few hours of sleep were probably the most she had gotten since the accident. It was a comfortable, much needed sleep where she had not tossed or turned or even woke up in a terrified state, reliving the accident all over again. She had simply just … slept.

Elena's eyes shifted from the window to the other side of the room. There was a fire going in Stefan's room and she wondered when he had gotten up to start it. It was early spring and a fire was not necessary, but he must have sensed that she needed it. Besides the falling rain and the low crackling of the fire, the only other sound she heard was Stefan. His breathing was steady with his chest rising slowly. He had been asleep for a while she assumed.

Elena couldn't help but replay the afternoon's events in her head. The way his hand trailed down her arm, moving to her hip, and continuing behind her knee. The way his lips kissed every place his hands had touched. The way he looked at her, even if she wasn't looking at him. The way he was so gentle with her and how focused he was on her. This wasn't the Stefan she grew up with. This wasn't anyone she thought she knew. She knew Stefan as self-centered, inconsiderate, and irritating.

Yet here he was, one arm placed under her head, probably half asleep from the weight of it, and the other arm wrapped securely around her waist, holding her close. She remembered the end of it, how he had rolled away from her and she pretty much figured that he was done with her for the night. She remembered laying there on her back, listening to him breathing hard as she tried to calm her own breathing. Elena had closed her eyes, only to feel his hand on her stomach, and then her waist, pulling her closer to him so that he could hold her. Stefan hadn't said anything and at first, this had made Elena feel uncomfortable. Soon she realized that his intention was to not make her feel uncomfortable, but to make her feel safe. She fell asleep in his close embrace.

Elena closed her eyes, making herself forget how great he had made her feel. How he had made her forget about all the sadness she felt. Because now, she realized, she would have to face her sadness again. Her one night of forgetting was over and reality was back. Her Uncle John being at the forefront of her reality. Not to mention her friends were no longer speaking to her, though she couldn't blame them after the way she had been treating them. Her parents were gone, and she had no idea how Jeremy was dealing seeing as how she had been so focused on herself.

A few tears welled up in her eyes, spilling onto her cheeks, dropping on his arm as she let herself think about the present – the future. Stefan began to stir, blinking a few times as he registered where he was and who he was with. He let a small smile play on his lips when he saw Elena next to him. The last thing he ever expected to do was the one thing he was pretty sure he could do over and over again. And that was, to be with Elena. Memories lingered in his mind as he remembered how she had responded to his every touch. He held on to that look he saw in her eyes - a look of trust. She had trusted him, had let him take control, had lost herself in him. It was true. He felt something different with her now. Something better than what he felt before.

Stefan leaned over her, moving her silky brown hair off of her shoulder. He kissed her shoulder softly, then instantly regretted it when he felt her tense up. Elena so desperately wanted to move away from him, but she couldn't. Her body would not physically move away, even if she could get out of his arms. Elena blinked back a few tears, not catching them in time. They fell on his arm again. His worry started to surface. Instantly, guilt washed over him. He should have said no and meant it. He should not have given in to her, to his own needs. He could have just held her, talked to her, kissed her even. He didn't have to take it so far. But he reminded himself, she had wanted this. She had convinced him that she wanted him.

"You said no regrets" he whispered softly, attempting to relieve some of his guilt. Elena let out a soft sob, using all her energy to turn herself to face him, knowing she owed him eye-contact at least. Her sad brown eyes met his strong green ones.

"I don't regret sleeping with you" she said quietly. Stefan felt his heart skip a beat. She didn't regret it. He didn't either, then. But why was she crying?

"Elena" he said, his voice full of concern. It caught her off guard. Why couldn't he go back to being an arrogant jerk? At least she would know how to act around him.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked quietly, almost in a defeated tone. Stefan furrowed his eyebrow.

"Doing what?" he asked. He wasn't making fun of her. No. He wasn't tormenting her like usual. He was genuinely being a nice guy, and yet, he was doing something wrong.

"Being so concerned. The last time I checked, you didn't like me very much" she said, attempting to smile, but falling short as she realized that she felt a little sad at the thought, especially right now. Not many people liked her right now and she felt quite lonely.

Stefan smiled. He understood now. She didn't get why he was acting differently with her. "Last time I checked, you didn't like me much either" he reminded. He had hoped for a smile out of her, but it never came. "I'm not the selfish jerk you tell everyone I am" he said, more seriously. Though, he could understand why she would think that. He had been nothing short of a jackass to her since they both could remember.

Elena was starting to see that maybe he had other qualities – good ones that she had failed to see. But she was not going to change her mind about him so fast. Seeing her in thought, Stefan moved his hand to rest against her face, unconsciously wiping away any new tears that fell on that side of her face. Stefan prepared himself for what he thought she needed to hear from him. "I'm sorry" he told her, causing her to look up at him. Was he apologizing? "I'm sorry for every mean, obnoxious thing I have ever done to you" he said sincerely. If he could take it all back, he would. If it would help take away some of her pain that she felt, he would take it all back without a second thought.

Elena blinked back a few more tears as she comprehended what he had just said. He was trying to connect with her. He was trying to feel something different with her. And she didn't like it. It was one thing for him to be with her physically. It was a whole other thing for him to connect with her emotionally. That part of her was still off limits for everyone, Stefan included. "I should go" she replied, sitting up and keeping the sheet around her.

Stefan tried to think of something that he had said wrong to upset her. He was just trying to make things right with her. "Wait" he said as she hopped off of the bed, taking the sheet with her and leaving him completely naked. She shielded her eyes, too embarrassed to look at him or to let him look at her.

Stefan grabbed his boxers from off the floor and quickly put them on before getting out of bed and moving towards her. He noticed how hesitant she was. "I'm sorry" she apologized, keeping her hand over her face. "I just, I …" she began, only to be interrupted by an echoing knock coming from downstairs. Stefan and Elena both turned towards his bedroom door, listening.

"I'll be right back" he said, grabbing his sweatpants from off of the floor and slipping them on before leaving his room.

Elena quickly grabbed her clothes from the floor, having to search for her shirt. She quickly got dressed and hurried down the stairs when she heard Stefan engaging in a heated argument with someone. Uncle John. Elena stopped suddenly when she saw him standing just outside of the door. John's sudden acknowledgment of her was not pleasant. He looked angry. "Do you know how long we have been looking for you?" John asked, eyeing her closely. "Even I didn't think you were stupid enough to come here."

"That's enough" Stefan warned. "You came, you saw, now you need to go. Elena does not want to see you right now." Elena noticed how tense the muscles in Stefan's back were. She noticed the tone he took with her uncle. Elena realized, that Stefan was protecting her.

"I should have you arrested" John said, looking up into Stefan's face. Stefan glared at him. "Elena, I'm taking you home" he stated.

Elena didn't move. She couldn't. "No" she said, her voice shaking slightly. She wouldn't go with him. She hated him.

John laughed to himself in disbelief that this situation was happening. "How about you get into that car and go home or I call the police and report you as a runaway?" he asked in a threatening tone. Elena's breath caught in her throat. Would he really do that?

Stefan gripped the edge of the door tighter. He was angry, to say the least. "How about I drag you inside, claim you are an intruder, threatening my safety and the safety of my guest, and use my right to self-defense to make sure you never walk again?" Stefan asked. Elena watched intently as John's amused look from moments earlier faded and his full-blown anger surfaced. "Elena is welcome to stay here as long as she wants. I'll give Jenna a call and let her know about it" Stefan added.

What else could John do? Nothing, yet. "I'll be back" he promised, turning on his heel and walking back to his car.

Stefan slammed the front door when he heard the car peel out in his driveway. "You okay?" he asked, taking in her still form behind him.

Elena nodded. "Thank you, for doing that" she said. "Not many people can stand up to him" she added quietly.

"He doesn't scare me" Stefan said casually, leaning against the door. They remained quiet for a moment. "So what now?" he asked.

Elena tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "I should probably go home, talk to Jenna" she answered uncertainly. "I can't burden you by being here" she added.

"You're not a burden" he was quick to reply, causing her to look up at him quickly. "There's plenty of room for you here. And you could call Jenna and talk to her. Hell, Jenna and your brother can move in here. Let John rot in that house all by himself" he added.

As much as Elena liked the thought of that, she just couldn't stay with Stefan. Not after they had slept together. It was weird. Weird that neither of them were talking about it, yet both were thinking about it. "I should go" she finally said.

Stefan wouldn't deny the disappointment he felt, but maybe it was for the best. What they had done was a onetime thing. There was no need to drag it out. It probably should have never happened. Elena stood there awkwardly.

What else was she supposed to say? Thanks for letting me sleep over? We should do it again sometime? "You don't have to say anything" Stefan said. Elena's breath caught in her throat. How did he know what she was thinking? But she needed to say something.

"Thank you for not treating me like my parents just died" she said. Although it had taken some convincing, he finally understood that she needed normalcy. And he had been able to give it to her.

Stefan nodded. "You're welcome." She held his stare for longer than she probably should have.

It was just nice to feel like someone understood what she needed. "I really should go. Jenna is probably worried sick" Elena reminded, turning to go back upstairs.

"Elena" he said. She turned around to face him. "If you ever need to get away. Need some space, or whatever. You're always welcome here" he said sincerely. And Elena believed him.

"Thank you" she said quietly. "I'm, I'm going to call my aunt and have her come get me" she said, searching his face for approval.

"Okay" Stefan answered. He watched Elena walk back up the stairs. He kicked himself for not trying harder to get her to stay. It was absurd. They were barely even friends, yet he didn't want to lose sight of her. He told himself that he worried about her. He didn't like the fact that she would go back to where John was, where she might stay holed up in her room, unable to talk to anyone. He could protect her from John. He could get her to open up. But she had made her decision. He didn't like it, but what could he do?


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I have been asked if I am going to bring Katherine in to this story. My answer is, definitely yes. She is my favorite character of all time. So, stay tuned.**

**Also, if you enjoy this story, please check out my other story I have listed called **_**Message**_**. It is a Stefan and Elena story as well, but just a oneshot and rated M.**

**Thank you all for the reviews! I love reading them.**

"So, tell me about the War of 1812?" Alaric asked. Elena had her elbow on the table, her hand holding up her head as she looked out the window. She couldn't concentrate. "Elena?" Alaric asked.

Elena sighed. "It was a war. That happened in 1812" she guessed. She loved school on most occasions. But right now, at this time in her life, she didn't want to be sitting with Alaric in her living room, talking about history.

It was Alaric's turn to sigh. "There's only a week left of school, Elena" he reminded. As a favor to Jenna, he had agreed to come over on a Sunday to help Elena with the last of her assignments. Jenna had called, frantic that Elena was too far behind to get any of them done. But Elena just wasn't interested.

"If I don't do these assignments, will I have to make up the class?" she asked, not liking the idea, but not really caring either.

"No" Alaric replied. "But it will significantly lower your grade and I would hate to see your GPA suffer" he told her. "You're smart, Elena" he added. Elena looked at him, half wondering how much complimenting he was going to do in order to get her to do the assignments. "Why don't you ask a classmate to help you with them?" he suggested. "Bonnie and Caroline did pretty well. Stefan did exceptionally well, actually."

Elena thought about his suggestion. She hadn't talked to Bonnie or Caroline since she threw them out of her hospital room a few weeks ago. And Stefan? She hadn't talked to him in a few days, not since they had slept together. She felt bad. He had tried calling a few times and she ignored the calls and didn't call back either. But maybe he would be willing to help her. "I'll see if Stefan can help me out" she said.

Alaric smiled. "Good" he nodded. "Tell your Aunt to call me when she gets home. I'm going to head home and get a few things done." He grabbed his keys and let himself out of the house.

Elena rested her head on the table and closed her eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena got out of her car, parked in the Salvatore driveway. She gripped her books tight in her arms as she made her way to the door. Being there brought back so much for her. "Elena?" she heard from behind her, pulling her out of her thoughts. Elena turned around to see Damon. "How are you?" he asked as he walked towards her.

Elena nervously moved a piece of hair behind her ear. "Fine" she said. "Is Stefan here?" she asked quickly. She wasted no time in cutting to the chase. For the first time in forever, she was not happy to see Damon. And she couldn't figure out why. Was it because Stefan didn't like him and now that she and Stefan had shared an intimate moment, she was siding with Stefan's thoughts in some way? That was absurd.

"I've been meaning to come by and see how you are doing, but I didn't think John would like that very much" Damon said, ignoring her question. He sensed how nervous she was.

Elena took in a small breath to calm herself. "John left the house a few days ago. Jenna made him" she responded, attempting to make small talk with him.

"Oh really?" Damon asked. Elena nodded, averting her eyes to the ground. Damon cocked his head to the side. "Is something wrong, Elena?" he asked. She quickly looked up at him. He sensed she was not at ease. "I apologize if I am making you uncomfortable."

Elena quickly recovered. "Don't be silly, Damon" she said. "I just have a lot on my mind and I have to get these assignments done for class. Which is why I am looking for Stefan" she explained.

"Stefan isn't home" Damon said, still staring at her curiously. "I'm sure I could help you though. I did pretty well in my high school courses" he said smugly.

"Thank you, but Stefan has already done them so I think I'm going to ask him" she said, politely declining. "It was nice seeing you, Damon" she said, quickly walking around him and back towards her car.

Damon watched her leave, his eyes glaring into the back of her car. Stefan. It was always about Stefan. Damon had no reason to worry though. When he wanted Elena, he would have her in no time.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena finally shook off the uncomfortable feeling Damon had given her. But a guilt-ridden one had replaced it. She sat in her car across the street from the Grill, where she could see Matt, Bonnie, and Caroline eating at a table outside. They were all laughing and seemed genuinely happy. It made her feel left out, until she remembered that she had done this. Mustering up all the courage she could, she got out of her car and began walking their way.

Bonnie was the first to notice her. Elena was waiting for a scowl of some sort to come her way, but instead, Bonnie gave her one of her famous soft smiles that could probably cure almost anything. Caroline and Matt realized that Bonnie was not in on their conversation and looked up to see who Bonnie was smiling at. They gave an awkward stare, clearly uncomfortable. "Hi" was all Elena said as she reached their table.

"How are you?" Bonnie asked, wondering if she should have asked that since that is probably all anyone had asked Elena since the accident.

"Not great" Elena replied. "I have been feeling pretty guilty about the way I treated you guys at the hospital. That wasn't me, and I hope you know that" she stated. Matt and Caroline looked back down at their plates. "I'm really sorry for how I acted" Elena said sincerely. "You guys are my best friends and … and I'm sorry."

They all remained quiet until Bonnie stood up abruptly. "I forgive you" she said, tears pooling into the corner of her eyes. Elena's own tears started to form as Bonnie pulled her into a hug. "I've missed you" Bonnie said, hugging Elena tighter.

When they pulled away, Elena nervously looked at Matt and Caroline for their reaction to her apology. "You know I could never be mad at you" Matt said, standing as well and walking around the table to pull her into a hug.

Caroline had her arms crossed, holding out. But she had missed Elena so much. "Well, if everyone else is going to forgive you …" she smirked. "Get over here" she said, pulling Elena back to her and hugging her.

"I love you guys" Elena said, hugging Caroline back. Elena was a damn lucky girl to have three amazing friends who were so understanding.

"Join us" Caroline said, pulling away from her and scooting her chair over.

Elena was about to say yes when she saw Stefan walk into the Grill. She needed to talk to him. Caroline and Bonnie caught on to who Elena was staring after. "Next time. There's someone else I need to talk to" Elena explained.

Caroline smiled brightly. "Well go on, go and get your man!" Caroline said exuberantly. Elena hushed her quickly before telling the other two goodbye and walking inside the restaurant.

Elena could see Stefan at a far table in the corner, looking over the menu. Though, she didn't know why he bothered. He always ordered the same thing anyway. Confidently, Elena made her way over. "Hi" she said, a small smile forming.

Stefan looked up at her, his facial expression remaining neutral, before glancing back down at the menu. The waitress came and stood next to Elena, pen and pad in hand. "Actually, I think I'm going to take my order to go" he said, handing the menu back. Elena's smile faded. He was upset with her.

"Sure thing Stefan. I'll have it up for you shortly" the waitress smiled, taking the menu and leaving.

"Stefan" Elena began, but he took out his phone and began to read something on the screen. He was ignoring her. And she didn't like it one bit. Elena quickly snatched his phone out of his hands.

Stefan glared at her. "Excuse you, I was checking my e-mail" he told her. Elena stuffed his phone in her back pocket. He could have it back when she was done talking to him.

"You're upset that I've ignored your calls the past few days" Elena concluded.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Get over yourself" he said, clearly not in the mood to be around her. Because she was right. He was upset with her for ignoring him, after he had gone out of his way to help her a few days ago. After he had let all these feelings arise for her that he had never felt before. She had made him feel stupid.

Stefan expected Elena to call him some swearword and storm out of the place like she usually did. He was not expecting an apology. "I'm sorry" she said, just as sincerely as she had with her friends. "I shouldn't have ignored your calls, especially after how nice you have been to me lately."

Stefan couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was actually admitting to being wrong. She was actually apologizing. "Why?" he asked.

Elena looked away from him to gather her thoughts before looking back at him. "Because I didn't know what to say to you" she answered honestly. "And I felt all weird about what we had done" she said, saying the last part of the sentence quietly. "So, I'm sorry" she repeated, pulling his phone out of her pocket and giving it back to him.

She watched his face, trying to decide if he was going to give in or not. "I felt weird too, but not because of what we had done" he said. Elena gave him a questioning look. "Let's go someplace where we can talk" he said, nodding towards the door. Elena nodded slowly as Stefan left his seat to go and cancel his order.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

How they had managed to slip out of the Grill unnoticed by her friends was beyond her, but she was thankful for it. She had agreed to ride in his truck, all the while wondering where he was taking them. Stefan glanced over at her, noticing that she looked nervous. "Relax. I'm not driving you out to the middle of the woods for you to never be heard from again" he said jokingly.

Honestly? The thought hadn't crossed her mind until now. But that wasn't it. "I still get really anxious when someone else is driving" she said, looking out the window.

He felt a little guilty for cracking that joke. "Sorry, bad joke" he said, looking over at her. Elena didn't seem to respond. They drove a few more miles before Stefan turned off on some back road. Elena recognized where he was taking her now. The lake. Stefan put his truck in park and cut the engine. He got out and began walking towards the water.

Elena watched him for a moment before getting out of his truck and following. It was an old hang out spot from when they were kids. The rope swing was still hanging from the tree. When she reached Stefan, she sat down beside him in the sand. Although she couldn't see her parent's lake house from where they sat, she knew it was hidden away at the other end of the lake. "I can't believe that old ratty thing is still here" Elena mentioned, nodding towards the hanging rope.

Stefan smiled. "Probably still works too. Care to give it a try?" he asked. Elena smiled and shook her head no. The weathered rope would probably snap with their weight now. Silence settled over them, but Stefan felt like he needed to tell her something. Something that had been on his mind. Damon would have made fun of him for sharing his feelings. "Can I tell you something?" he asked her.

"Go for it" Elena told him, turning slightly to look at him. She watched Stefan shift his legs nervously in the sand next to her. She wanted to prompt him to continue, but she held back.

"I know … I know I've always treated you like I didn't give a damn. Like I didn't care about you" he began. Elena looked back out over the water, continuing to listen. "But when Matt called me that morning and told me that you were hurt, that you might not make it, I don't think I have ever been so scared in my entire life" he admitted. Well, maybe when his parents died, but that was a long time ago.

Elena noticed that his voice softened a little as he told her this. She wasn't expecting him to say something like this. "You have been nothing but amazing to me" she told him. "And … it means a lot to me that you were worried. I wouldn't have thought that you would be worried about me, considering."

"I feel differently about you" he blurted out, wondering if she was ready to hear that.

Elena looked up at him in surprise. "Differently how?" she asked.

Stefan wasn't quite sure how to word what he felt. So he decided not to use words. Words would probably fail him anyhow. So, he turned slightly to face her, and leaned in towards her, brushing his lips against hers softly. He waited for Elena to push him away, to get up, and to leave him sitting there. But she didn't for the moment. She let him kiss her for a moment or two, remembering how he had kissed her that night.

But the logical part of her brain kicked in, telling her to stop. She moved her head, nearly resting it on his shoulder. She understood the way he felt now. That kiss told her what she needed to know. "You don't want to be with me right now. I'm a disaster" she explained to him quietly. Stefan felt a small sign of hope. Maybe she wanted to be with him too, but she just needed time. "We could very well be an epic failure" she stated, moving her head to look up at him.

"Or we could be something pretty amazing" he countered. He hadn't meant to say that out loud.

She shook her head no while tears formed in her eyes. "I can hardly take care of myself. It would be a terrible idea. You would get hurt" she said, disagreeing with his previous statement.

Stefan wanted to tell her that he would take care of her, for as long as she needed, but he figured that might scare her away from the idea of "them". "You won't hurt me, Elena" Stefan said with confidence in his voice. He rested his hand under her chin and tilted it up so she would look at him. She looked sad, like she was afraid of moving forward. He understood that. For a long time, he hadn't wanted to move forward either after his parents died. "Just … tell me, you feel something too. That I'm not the only one" Stefan said, feeling his voice crack some.

Elena nodded her head slowly. "I do feel something. For you" she replied. "But right now, I just … I just can't" she said, looking back out over the lake again. Stefan dropped his hand back to his side, not out of defeat, but out of understanding.

"We could take it slow" he tried again. "You know. A date here. I date there. Nothing too serious."

Elena laughed slightly, something that he was glad to hear. "You just don't give up, do you?" she asked.

"Giving up has never been one of my strong qualities" he shrugged with a giant smile on his face. He was getting somewhere with her. But he went back to being serious pretty quickly. "I just want to be able to spend time with you" he admitted.

Elena smiled at that revelation. "I can spend time with you" she said, somewhat surprised at how easily those words came out of her mouth. This was Stefan Salvatore. "But I can't promise anything beyond that" she warned. Whether or not they turned into something more was not on her mind right now. School was.

"I can accept that" Stefan nodded. He was more than happy to accept that. He felt a little silly that he was so happy that a girl had agreed to spend time with him. Getting girls to like him was easy. But with Elena, it was different. It would be different. She was special, someone he had known his whole life. And he was going to do things right this time.

"I know the first way we can spend time together" Elena announced. Sex definitely was at the top of his list, but he quickly reminded himself it had to be different with Elena. Start out slow and build a relationship.

"Yeah, what's that?' he asked, genuinely curious. Though, he was pretty sure she would say for him to come over and watch some sappy girl movie where she would cry the whole time and he would continuously wonder when the hell the damn movie would be over so they could make out.

"I need help with my history assignments" she told him. "Ric tried to help me this morning, but it didn't go well and he said my grade will drop significantly if I don't do them" Elena said, sighing deeply as she finished. She was really stressing about it now that she thought more about it.

And Stefan could sense her distress over it. "Done" he said. "I can come over tomorrow after school and help you finish them" he stated. "My turn. I want you to be my date to the Founder's Day Celebration" he stated.

Elena hesitated instantly. "I don't think I am going to that this year" she said. She went every year with her family, but seeing as how her parents would not be there, she felt very reluctant to go.

Stefan knew it was a lot of ask of her, considering the circumstances. But he also thought it would be good for her to get out and socialize a bit. He could think of a million other things he could do that night, but he was obligated to go. "It could be … fun" he said, putting emphasis on the word "fun".

"I'll think about it" Elena told him. It was the best she could do. Stefan nodded his understanding. "I should get … home" she said, getting up off of the ground. She brushed the loose sand off of her.

Stefan stood as well. As much as he wanted to kiss her again, he resisted. "Come on" he said, nodding his head towards his truck.

Elena followed right beside him, lost in her own thoughts. She was sorting through all the emotions she was feeling right now. Happiness. Sadness. Excitement. Fear. They had shared their feelings and concerns with each other. And while she knew she felt something toward Stefan, she still was not ready to let him in all the way. He would have to prove himself to her. Yet, a small smile formed as she thought about their conversation. She would be seeing a lot more of him.


	11. Chapter 11

"I don't like this one either" Elena said, getting quite frustrated with her outfits. Stefan would be at her house to pick her up in 20 minutes, give or take. And she was on outfit number six. She knew why she was frustrated. It had nothing to do with her clothes, really. She would have to see all of the people she went to school with at this Founder's Day celebration. All the people she had not talked to since the accident because she had not been back to school. It was going to awkward. She would have to politely tell them that she was "fine". Worst of all, she would be with Stefan and it would confuse everyone greatly. While she and Stefan were not an item per se, they wouldn't be fighting in public which would completely throw people off.

Jenna smiled. "Elena?" she asked. Elena turned around in a huff to see what her aunt wanted. "You look beautiful in anything" she said. Elena rolled her eyes and turned back to her mirror. The dress just didn't seem right to her. "Do you want to tell me what's really going on?" Jenna asked.

Elena unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor, grabbing a pair of jeans and a tank top. "I don't want to go. But I told Stefan I would. And he'd probably have a bitch fit if I canceled" she said, pulling her jeans on, then her top.

Jenna stood from her spot on Elena's bed and pulled Elena's hair back, playing with it slightly. "Are you nervous about seeing all of your friends from school?" she asked. Elena looked down, avoiding her aunt's eyes in the mirror. "They just want you to be happy. I bet they will be glad to see you" she said, giving a small smile. Elena still wasn't so sure. "Let me put your hair in loose curls" she said, pushing Elena to sit in the chair as she grabbed the curling iron. '"It's good for you to be getting out of the house. Now that school is out, hopefully you will get to spend more time with everyone." Elena sighed as she watched her aunt pick up a strand of hair. This was a mistake. A big one.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Stefan, come on in" Jenna smiled, moving aside for him. "Elena is just finishing up" she said, closing the door behind him. "You can go on up and see if she's ready" she suggested, knowing Elena would probably stay in her room the whole day if no one pulled her out of it.

"Thanks, Jenna" he said, beginning to climb the stairs. Part of him wondered if he should have brought Elena flowers. He had thought about it during the whole drive over to her house. But he had something else for her. This was a date but technically, not really. He could bring flowers next time. Stefan stopped at her door and knocked.

"Come in" Elena said, setting her lip gloss down. She dabbed at the corners of her lips briefly before looking up to see who it was.

"Hey" Stefan said, coming into her room and shutting the door. He stopped and stared at her for a moment. She looked really beautiful. "You look really nice" he said, wondering if it sounded as bad to her as it did to him.

But she accepted it. "Thank you" she said, standing from her chair. "We should go" she said quickly. She thought about telling him that he looked pretty good too, which he did, but that would be misleading for him. Because this wasn't a date and they were not a couple. It was simply two people, going to a community event, together. Maybe she should have told him she would meet him there.

"This is for you" he said, handing her a large black book.

Elena turned it over and glanced over the cover. "You got me a yearbook?" she asked, somewhat surprised that he would think of it. She loved yearbooks and really hadn't thought about missing out on it this year until he had given it to her.

"Yeah. I knew you wouldn't be coming back, so I picked one up for you and had our class sign it" he told her. He had been very adamant that no one say anything about being sorry about her parents or her accident. "Some of the Freshman signed it too. Sneaky little bastards got to it before I could stop them" he joked. Not that Elena didn't like the underclassman. A lot of the guys had the cutest crushes on her. Elena smiled as she turned to the first page. The entire inside of the front cover was written by Caroline. She would recognize that writing anywhere. Caroline was the only one Elena knew who dotted her letters with hearts. Elena turned the next few pages and saw all the little messages written to her. She wondered if he had signed it too. "Do you like it?" he asked, having trouble reading her fluctuating facial expressions.

Elena looked up at him, forcing herself not to cry the happy tears that she wanted to. "I love it Stefan. Thank you" she said, shutting the book and setting it on her bed. She wiped at one of her eyes, hoping her mascara wasn't smearing. Elena noticed the concerned look he got when he saw this. Damn guys thought something was wrong no matter why girls were crying. "I guess I didn't realize how much I would have missed not having a book this year" she said, putting his worry to rest.

"I just … I wanted you to still be included, even if you couldn't be there" he told her honestly. Damn him. He was going to make her cry all over again. Elena nodded her appreciation as she worked on regaining her composure. Before she could stop herself though, she was walking towards him, placing her arms around him. Stefan smiled, pulling her closer. A hug. Initiated by her. It was a start he thought.

"Hey Elena" Jeremy said, opening the door. Elena jumped back from Stefan quickly. Jeremy stared at them in bewilderment. "What's going on?" he asked. "This doesn't look like fighting to me."

"Nothing, Jer" Elena said. "Stefan and I were just getting ready to leave" she announced.

Jeremy leaned against her door and smiled. "Wait, he's the guy you have been obsessing over what to wear for the past five hours?" Jeremy asked, both in disbelief, but also in a taunting manner to embarrass her.

Elena began to blush and was ready to throw Jeremy out. Stefan was already grinning. "You spent five hours obsessing over what to wear for me?" Stefan asked, clearly amused. He was even more amused at how embarrassed she was.

"No!" Elena said defensively. "It was only three hours. And … and … we're late" she stated.

"You got your hair all done up pretty for him too" Jeremy continued. As frustrated as Elena was with her younger brother, she was glad he was able to joke around with her. He had been just as gloomy as her lately.

"Get out" Elena said, grabbing her purse and pushing her brother out. Stefan followed, all the while laughing.

Once they had gone downstairs and Jenna had given Stefan a speech about what time she expected Elena home, which was, by midnight, they said their goodbyes and were off. Stefan had opened her door for her, being a complete gentleman. Elena was impressed.

"Five hours getting all done up for me" he said, still highly amused as he drove down the road.

Elena rolled her eyes. "It was three. And it wasn't all for you. In case you forgot, the whole town will be there today" she reminded. She had to look presentable today, because everyone would notice her appearance and try and analyze how she was doing.

Stefan shook his head, a smile still present. They neared the town square and Stefan spotted an open parking spot. It was starting to get busy. "Here we are" Stefan announced. He looked over at Elena who was staring straight ahead. He could tell she was nervous. "Hey Elena?" he asked. She hadn't heard him. "Elena?" he tried again, grabbing her hand. Elena looked down at her hand and then up at him. "Whenever you feel like leaving, we'll go" he said, making sure she knew she had the option. Elena just nodded. She took a deep breath and opened the door to get out.

Stefan joined her and they began walking toward the vender's booths. Elena scanned the crowd constantly, looking for people staring at her. She saw the staring faces instantly. Some were even whispering to one another. Stefan was oblivious to it all, saying hello to everyone he recognized. He did notice that Elena had dropped a few steps behind him though. "You okay?" he asked, slowing his pace, which only made Elena slow her pace even more. Stefan grabbed her hand but Elena quickly pulled away.

"Yeah, fine" she lied, continuing to watch those staring at her. "I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'll catch up with you" she said, darting off toward a building to her left. Once Elena was inside, she rested her hands against the sink and closed her eyes. She wasn't ready to be here. Elena quickly turned the faucet on and ran her hands under the cool water.

When Elena emerged from the bathroom, she stopped suddenly when she saw Stefan leaning against a tree just outside. She quickly looked around to see who might see them. "What are you doing?" she asked. "I told you I would catch up" she said, a little on edge.

"I didn't want to leave you" Stefan answered. "What's going on, Elena?" he asked. They hadn't even talked to anyone yet.

Before Elena could answer, Bonnie and Caroline were running towards her, clearly excited to see her. "You came!" Caroline said, throwing her arms around her. Elena felt herself relax a little in Caroline's embrace. "I'm so happy you're here." Caroline stepped back and let Bonnie hug Elena next.

"How is she?" Caroline mouthed to Stefan. He shook his head uncertainly. "Hey Elena" Caroline said. "They have these amazing fruit smoothies. Come on, we need to get one" she said, grabbing Elena's hand and tugging her along. Elena went with her willingly as Stefan watched. Bonnie wasn't far behind them.

Maybe Elena's mood would change if she got to spend some time with the girls. Stefan spotted Matt and went over to say hello, hoping to avoid Tyler. He didn't want to deal with him today, especially not with Elena here.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Six hours. It had been six hours and Caroline still had Elena. Stefan had gone over to see Elena a few times, but she didn't seem to have any interest to leave Caroline's side, who was doing all the talking for her. So Stefan bounced back and forth between sitting with her friends and walking around by himself. He had to admit though, Elena looked happier sitting with her friends. She had relaxed quite a bit.

When it had finally gotten dark, Stefan made his way over to stand and watch the fireworks that were starting to be shot off into the sky. He had to admit, the day hadn't really turned out like he had planned. What had he planned for him and Elena? Fun. A lot of fun. Together. He envisioned winning her one of those ridiculously oversized stuffed bears by knocking down the milk bottles, then having to carry it around for her as they looked at other games. He envisioned holding Elena's hand and her smiling and laughing at the fact that he had to spend nearly 30 dollars to win her the bear because he had refused to give up. He wasn't mad at Caroline or even annoyed really. Caroline was being a good friend to Elena, something Stefan had never been up until the accident.

Elena had been watching Stefan stand across the grassy area by himself for quite a while now. She felt guilty spending the whole day with her friends when he had been the one to invite her. But it was safe with her friends. It was comfortable. Being with Stefan was scary because it was brand new. And she did not know if she wanted to start out new right now in her life. Then again, maybe she owed it to herself to move forward and take a huge leap. Maybe she owed it to him.

Elena excused herself from her group of friends and made her way over to Stefan. His back was to her, but he recognized her hand grabbing on to his as she moved to stand next to him. "The fireworks are really beautiful" she said, staring up into the sky. He wanted to tell her she was more beautiful, but decided against it. "I'm sorry I spent the whole day with my friends, and not with you" she added quietly. "I just … needed familiarity" she sighed.

Stefan turned to her slightly, taking his eyes off of the sky and moving them to her. He understood. He really did. "I know" he nodded. "I went about today all wrong" Stefan admitted. "I wanted it to be all about you and me and that's just not realistic right now" he said, looking back up at the sky. She needed her friends. She needed to do the things she used to do before her accident.

Elena remained quiet for a moment, thinking about what he had said. She gave his hand a light squeeze, reminding him that she was still there. "Maybe it is" she said. Stefan looked back at her, waiting for her to continue. "Maybe I just need to try harder. It's just … It's hard for me." Stefan squeezed her hand back. "I was so worried about what people would think when they saw us together today. Which is stupid because it doesn't matter what they think. It matters what I think" she told him.

"And what do you think?" Stefan asked her.

Elena smiled softly. "I think that I kind of like having you around now" she admitted shyly. "You've seen me through my worst and you're still here. That has to count for something."

Stefan smiled too. "I kind of like having you around too" he agreed. He tugged on her hand, pulling her closer so he could wrap one arm around her. They continued to watch the fireworks for a little while.

Elena pulled her phone out of her pocket and glanced at the time. It was nearing 11:00. The fireworks were starting to come to a halt and people began slowly dispersing. Elena pulled her head away from his shoulder and stepped back from him. "Come on" she said, pulling on his arm. Stefan gave her a questioning look. "We still have time for you to try and win me a stuffed animal" she said, a small smile appearing.

"Try and win?" he asked, playfully taking offense. "I will win one" he said confidently, following her back towards the game booths. They stopped at the milk bottles and Stefan pulled out his wallet, catching Elena out of the corner of her eye already looking at the stuffed giraffe she wanted.

"Five dollars for three balls" the attendant announced. Stefan handed the man a five and collected the balls. Elena stood over to the side and watched. Others had gathered around too. The star quarterback of the Mystic Falls High football team was going to put on a show.

Stefan threw the first ball and knocked the top bottle off. That was the easy one. It was those bottom two that were weighted down. He threw the second ball and nothing. He threw the third ball and still nothing. Stefan took out his wallet and handed over another five. The man set the bottles back into place. The next ball had moved the bottom right bottle while knocking off the top one. It was all about the angle he threw at, more so than the force he figured. He threw the next two balls and knocked over a bottom bottle finally. He was getting the hang of it.

Thirty dollars and fifteen minutes later, Stefan handed Elena the giant giraffe she had wanted. She was all smiles as she held it. "I can't believe you spent 30 dollars to get this for me" she said, handing it back to him when she realized it would be too heavy for her to carry.

Stefan gripped it with one arm and grabbed her hand with his other. "It was well worth it to see you smile" he said before he could stop himself. Elena stopped walking and turned to look at him. He was sure that she was going to make fun of him for saying that. "That was stupid, sorry" he apologized.

"No, it was really sweet, actually" Elena said. "But if my smile is that easy to get things out of you, you're in trouble" she announced as they began walking again.

"That so?" he asked. He had no doubt that she was a master at getting what she wanted with that smile.

"Yep. Because I plan on smiling a lot more from now on" she stated. She loved smiling and being sad and gloomy didn't exactly allow for a whole lot of smiling.

"Good" Stefan said. They continued walking, taking in the sights before everyone packed up for the night. Their last stop was the elephant ear stand. Deciding to share one, they sat on a nearby bench with Stefan in the middle of Elena and a giant giraffe.

Elena wiped her hands on her napkin. She turned to look at Stefan who had just finished his half of the elephant ear with remnants of cinnamon and sugar on his lips. "Thank you for getting me out of the house today" she said, leaning back against the bench. "It was just what I needed."

"Well thank you for coming with me" he said, leaning back as well. Elena smiled. Them being polite to each other was a nice change. Stefan checked his watch. "We should start heading back though" he said, keeping Jenna's conversation visible in his mind. He would have loved to keep Elena out into the early morning hours though.

"Yeah" Elena agreed, reluctantly dragging herself up off of the bench. "Here" she said, grabbing for another napkin when she remembered he still had sugar all over himself. "You have sugar all over your lips" she said, half laughing as she went to wipe it away for him.

Stefan caught her hand, gently lowering it as he leaned down to kiss her instead. He was going to take the chance, figuring she would push him away if she wasn't ready. To his surprise, she didn't push him away. She moved closer to him, tasting the remaining sugar and smelling the lingering traces of his cologne that she had failed to recognize earlier. Stefan let go of her hand, moving his hand to rest on the small of her back while his other hand gently held the side of her face, giving him better access for deepening the kiss that she was definitely responding to.

Elena gripped the sides of his sweatshirt, pulling herself closer to him. Any reserve she had earlier in the day about them seemed to leave for the time being. As much as Stefan wanted to keep kissing her, he had to get her home. He pulled away from her just barely, resting his forehead against hers. "We should go" he breathed softly.

Elena looked up at him through her long eyelashes and smiled. "I can be a little late" she whispered, moving her hands to the back of his neck and pulling him back down for another kiss.

So she was a little late. Fifteen minutes or so, but Jenna never came out to yell at them. Stefan stood with Elena and the giant giraffe on her front porch, playing with her fingers and dreading having to say goodnight. "Call me tomorrow?" she asked, looking up at him.

Stefan nodded. "Goodnight, Elena" he said, unsure if he should kiss her again. He really wanted to, but they had spent a lot of time doing that just before he brought her home.

"Goodnight, Stefan" she smiled, reaching up on her toes to place a quick kiss on his cheek. Then, she was walking through her front door with her giraffe, her big, beautiful brown eyes locking with his one last time as she smiled and shut the door. Stefan pulled his keys out of his pocket and smiled as he walked back to his truck. Elena leaned against the front door, closing her eyes and smiling. It was true. She was falling for Stefan Salvatore.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates this week. School has kept me pretty busy. Thank you once again for the reviews! I appreciate them. I hope you enjoy this update. As always, read and review please!**

Damon finished rolling up his sleeves as he turned the corner of the staircase, ready to go back up to his room and grab his wallet. He had a busy day ahead of him. Lots of shameless flirting with the women in town. The important ones, that is. First on his list? Elena Gilbert. He didn't like the way they had left things last time she was over, looking for Stefan. Something was off about her that day. Normally, she was all giddy around him.

As Damon was about to head up the stairs, a knock on his front door stopped him. He checked the time. It was far too early for anyone to be delivering something. Stefan had gone out for a run. Maybe the idiot had locked himself out. Damon sighed and went to answer it. He swung the heavy wood door open and froze.

"God you're hot" she said with a motivated smile that turned into a mastermind smirk.

Damon halfway thought about slamming the door in her face, just like she had slammed her car door on his fingers the last time he saw her while he was trying to stop her from leaving. Like an idiot, he had still gone running after her, begging her to stay anyway after she had attempted to cheat on him. "What the hell do you want?" he asked, glancing past her to see her red corvette sitting in his driveway.

"What, no hello?" she pouted. She walked forward, a knowing smile playing on her lips as she stopped in front of him, close enough for him to kiss her if he wanted to.

"You're not wanted here, Katherine" Damon said neutrally, standing his ground. He would not give in to her anymore. Not now. Not ever again.

Katherine brought her hand up and seductively ran her finger down the front of that perfectly ironed button down of his. "Come on Damon, don't be like that" she said, running her hand down until she found his belt. "We used to be good together" she said seductively.

Damon quickly removed her hand from him before she could go any further. "Used to" he stated. "Then you tried to screw my little brother and when he turned you down, you took off" he reminded her. Damon grabbed her by her shoulders and gently, yet forcibly, pushed her backwards and back out onto the porch. "I mean it Katherine. You're not wanted here."

Katherine scowled at him. Before she could get another word in, he shut the door in her face. "Crazy bitch" he muttered, walking back to the staircase. He tried not to remember how foolishly in love he was with her. How he had thought she was the one. How much money he spent on her to try and keep her happy. And then she had tried to seduce Stefan, on his 17th birthday. Thankfully, Stefan had turned her down before it had gone too far. But it had reminded Damon of something he had struggled with ever since he was a child. Everyone loved Stefan more.

Damon slapped a book off of a nearby table as he went into his room. Well, maybe not everyone loved Stefan more. After all, Katherine loved herself more than anyone. Damon sat on his bed and leaned back, suddenly not feeling up to being out and about with a bunch of women today. Not after that little run in with Katherine.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan stopped his medium paced jog when he reached the end of his driveway, deciding he would use the walk back to the boarding house as a nice cool down. He wiped away the sweat that had gathered on his forehead. Although football season was another two months away, he figured staying in shape couldn't hurt. Especially when he had a certain someone to impress. Summer meant a lot of days at the lake and lounging around without a shirt on. The morning runs and afternoon crunches would do him some good.

As Stefan rounded a corner in his driveway, he came into clear view of a little red corvette and a tall, long-legged brunette leaning against it. He stopped. Katherine. She looked up when she heard footsteps on the gravel. A huge grin appeared. "Hello, Stefan" she said, dropping her eyes to those oh so toned legs of his and slowly wandering her eyes up to his beautiful green eyes. "God you're hot" she said, more to herself than to him. She was never one to be shy when she liked what she saw.

Stefan wiped at his forehead again. "What are you doing here?" he asked cautiously. The last time he had seen her, she had him flat against his back, ready to have her way with him.

"You know you missed me" she smiled, slowly walking towards him, swinging her hips in that mesmerizing way she knew had everyone's attention. "I missed you" she said slowly, placing her hand on his firmly sculpted chest. If Damon wasn't going to give her the attention she wanted, Stefan surely would. Katherine leaned in towards him, resting her mouth close to his ear. "Why don't you invite me in and I'll show you" she whispered seductively.

Stefan grabbed her hand that had begun to wander up under his shirt. Katherine giggled, honestly believing that he was playing along with her game. She loved games. When she looked up at him, he was smiling at her. "I'll tell you what" he said, his voice low and slightly suggestive. Just how she liked it. "I'm going to go inside …" he began. She waited for the part where he invited her in with him. "And you can get the hell off my property and enjoy a life of loneliness and misery" he said.

Katherine's grin disappeared and a look of anger replaced it. "You're the one that's going to be lonely" she retorted. She could have any guy, anytime, anywhere.

Stefan chuckled lightly. "You see, that's where you're wrong, Katherine" he said, eyeing her. "I'm spoken for. And the best part? She's not a manipulative whore" he finished.

Katherine was seething with rage. Not because Stefan had called her a whore. But because he was seeing someone else. That was not acceptable. Stefan, enjoying seeing her so worked up, stepped around her and headed for the house. But she wasn't done just yet. "I came back for you" she called after him.

Stefan turned around and shrugged. "One problem Katherine. I don't want you" he told her. "Get the hell out of Mystic Falls. You're not wanted here" he said, turning and walking away again.

This time, Katherine let him go. But she was not done with him yet. Or that little twit that he was dating. Katherine would find out who she was and make her sorry that she ever laid eyes on Stefan Salvatore.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan grabbed his water bottle from the fridge and took a big drink before heading upstairs for a shower. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost nine in the morning. Elena would definitely still be asleep. Elena. The thought of even her name brought a smile to his face and made him forget about Katherine who was probably still standing outside.

Stefan walked back into the parlor, kicking his shoes off. "Where is she?" Damon asked, walking into the room with an agenda, Stefan assumed.

"Where's who?" Stefan asked, playing dumb. He inwardly smirked at the grimace on Damon's face.

"Katherine. I'm sure you saw her" Damon replied, taking a seat in his chair.

"Oh, Katherine. Right. Yeah, I invited her in Damon. She's upstairs waiting for me now" Stefan said sarcastically. Damon tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair, clearly not amused with Stefan's answer. "Where the hell do you think she is?" he asked. "I left the bitch outside where she belongs" Stefan added.

"You didn't come strolling home until early morning. You were with her, weren't you" Damon guessed. He should have known.

Stefan groaned. "You have got to be kidding me Damon. Are we really going there again?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, we're going there again, Stefan" Damon mocked in the best impression of Stefan that he could manage. "I just can't believe you would hook up with her after what she put us through last year. You're letting her come between us. For what? For her to cheat on you and ruin your life too?" he asked.

Stefan slammed his water bottle down, clearly agitated. It was too early to deal with his neurotic brother. "First off, I didn't hook up with her. Not last year, and certainly not last night" he stated. Damon didn't believe him about last night though and Stefan could tell. "Second, Katherine is not the problem, Damon. The issues we have? Our hatred towards one another? It started way before Katherine even came into the picture" he said defensively. Damon looked away from his brother and out the window. "I'm sick of this shit, Damon. I've tried to get along with you and it just doesn't work. But you don't get to blame other people. You only have yourself to blame" Stefan finished, walking past his brother who looked like he had zoned out. "And not that it is any of your business, but I was with Elena last night" Stefan said, heading for the staircase.

Damon listened for the footsteps to disappear. Once they had, he tipped his head back and closed his eyes. He needed a drink.

**XXXXXXXXX**

A hot shower had done nothing to calm Stefan down after his heated exchange with Damon. The guy just couldn't move forward and Stefan couldn't keep living in the past. So Stefan decided to head into town and get coffee. Stefan was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't even hear Tyler calling after him. "Hey!" Tyler said, grabbing his shoulder. Stefan whipped around and glared. Tyler was the absolute last person he wanted to run into right now. "Whoa, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed" Tyler commented.

"It's been a rough morning" was all Stefan said. "I'm running late" he added, hoping Tyler would take the hint. Stefan began walking once again.

"For Elena?" Tyler asked, a large grin forming. Stefan stopped immediately and turned around. "I saw you too getting all cozy last night. I must say, I am impressed. You work fast" Tyler added.

Stefan walked back towards Tyler quickly. "The bet is off" Stefan stated.

Tyler scoffed. "What do you mean the bet is off?" Tyler asked in disbelief.

"Exactly what I just said" Stefan answered. "It was a stupid bet and I don't want any part of it anymore" he added. "Elena has been through too much …" Stefan began to explain.

"So?" Tyler scoffed again. He could care less if her mom and dad just died. He was going to get his entertainment from watching Stefan fail miserably. No way was Stefan backing out now. "Come on, Stefan. How long have we known each other? Almost our whole lives. Don't be like this" Tyler said, trying in one last ditch effort to change Stefan's mind.

Stefan's fist clenched. He had always known that Tyler was incapable of thinking about others, but this had gone too far. "I said the bet is off" Stefan said firmly. "And as far as I am concerned, our friendship is over" Stefan finished, walking around Tyler and heading back to his truck, suddenly no longer wanting coffee. Tyler stood there, astounded by what Stefan had just said. No one blew off a Lockwood like that.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Elena rolled over in her bed, smiling as the sun shone through her window. Memories of last night floated into her mind and all she could think about was how much she wanted to see Stefan. There's a thought she never thought would cross her mind. She questioned how she went from being terrified of having a relationship with him to kissing him all night long.

Then she blushed when she thought about his hand resting on her waist, holding her close. But it was a nice feeling to know that someone wanted to kiss her and hold her close. It was a nice feeling knowing that someone could make her smile. Elena sighed before tossing the covers off of her and getting out of bed. She quickly brushed her teeth and fixed her hair. Her bedroom door was cracked open slightly and downstairs, she could hear her aunt talking to someone, inviting him or her in. Elena ran to her bedroom window and smiled when she saw Stefan's truck pulled up along the curb.

Elena pulled a Mystic Falls High sweatshirt on and changed out of her pajama bottoms and into a pair of track pants. She looked at herself in the mirror, scrutinizing her appearance. Well. If Stefan wanted to date her, he'd have to get used to the fact that she wasn't a morning person. There was no way in hell she'd come down the stairs before noon on her vacation all dressed up and ready to go.

Elena heard her aunt laugh and it made her smile. Jenna hadn't done much laughing either. Giving herself one last once over, Elena headed for downstairs. When she got there, Stefan was in the kitchen with Jenna, sitting at the island counter with a cup of coffee. "Hey, you're up" Jenna smiled. "I told Stefan you probably wouldn't be up until around noon."

Elena grinned. How well her aunt knew her. "Not today. I decided to get up early and start the day at … ten" she said, glancing at the clock.

Jenna just shook her head. "I used to be just like you. And then I had to grow up and go to graduate school" she explained. "Anyway, I'm going out back to work on my thesis" she said, grabbing her coffee cup and a large stack of papers.

Elena turned around to get a coffee cup down. When she turned back around to get the coffee, Stefan was already standing close to her, grabbing her face gently and pulling her into another one of those mesmerizing kisses. When he pulled back, ever so slightly, she couldn't help but smile. "Good morning" he whispered. He had been wanting so say that since she walked into the kitchen.

"Morning" she replied back, tugging on his t-shirt so that he would kiss her again. Which he did. This time, however, he kissed her a lot slower and for much longer. And she had no complaints. When she finally pulled away, she watched as he moved a lose piece of hair out of her face. "What are you doing today?" she asked.

Stefan shrugged. "Whatever you're doing" he told her. He had planned on spending all day with her and hoped she had planned on spending all day with him.

"I'm doing absolutely nothing" Elena stated. She moved around him and grabbed the creamer from the fridge to add to her coffee.

"Well, then, Miss Gilbert. Can I interest you in breakfast at The Grill?" he asked. Elena pretended to think hard about his offer, clearly weighing out her options. Then her uncontrollable smile gave her away.

"I can be ready in half an hour" she told him, taking her cup of coffee with her upstairs.

Stefan shook his head at her playfulness. It was a nice change of pace for him. He settled back down into his seat, his thoughts of Elena being interrupted by Jenna. "You are the only one who has been able to make her smile like that" Jenna mentioned, leaning against the entryway. Stefan turned around to look at her, surprised to hear her there. "She's happy." Stefan smiled. He was happy too. "Make sure she stays that way, okay?" Jenna asked, though it was more like statement. Jenna went back outside and Stefan was left to his thoughts again. He never wanted her to be unhappy again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Katherine sat on a bench across the street from The Grill, a scowl present on her face as she watched Stefan get out of his truck with a girl. They sat outside to eat. Katherine would give Stefan credit. The girl was pretty. But Katherine had come back to Mystic Falls with one goal in mind. To get Stefan to fall in love with her.

Now, all Katherine had to do was figure out who this girl was and how to get her to break up with Stefan. "Easy" she said to herself, crossing one leg over the other and leaning forward. Katherine looked to her left and saw an elder couple walking their dog. She looked to her right and saw kids running around playing tag. This town was boring.

As she continued to stare at Stefan, a young dark haired guy came walking by, talking on his phone. Katherine smiled. He looked useful. "Hey!" she called out to him. The guy stopped walking and looked at her. He looked her over briefly before telling the person on the other end of his phone that he had to go. Katherine smiled again. God those small town boys were easy. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Katherine" she said politely.

The guy smiled, liking what he saw. "I'm Tyler. Tyler Lockwood" he said, introducing himself.

Katherine smiled wider. He was a rich one, too. "Can I ask you something Tyler?" she asked sweetly.

Tyler shrugged. "Yeah, I guess" he replied.

Katherine nodded towards Stefan. "Who is that girl sitting at the table with Stefan?" she asked casually.

Tyler turned to where Katherine was looking and groaned. Katherine picked up on this immediately. He recalled his run-in with Stefan earlier that morning. "That's Elena Gilbert" he answered.

"You don't sound too fond of Stefan" Katherine pointed out.

"Yeah, well, the guy's an asshole. He totally backed out on a bet we made almost a month ago" Tyler informed her. "He used to be a lot more fun and laid back. I don't know what happened to him" he added.

Katherine's attention picked up when he mentioned a bet. "A bet?" she asked. "What kind of a bet?"

Tyler hesitated for a moment. No one else knew about the bet except Stefan. "Just a bet we made between the two of us" he replied lamely.

Katherine cursed under her breath. Was she going to have to sleep with him to get the answer? "Were you pretty sure you'd win the bet and that's why you're mad he backed out?" Katherine asked subtly.

This got Tyler revved up. "I know I would have won! There's no way he could have gotten Elena to sleep with him by the end of summer. She'd probably sleep with me before she slept with Stefan" he said without even thinking. He was just so sure though.

Katherine smiled once more. "I bet you would have won too" she said, all the while thinking about how easy that was to get such valuable information out of him. Tyler smiled at her. "Does Elena know about the bet?" she questioned further.

"God no. She'd freak" Tyler answered. This was exactly what Katherine wanted to hear. "She'd probably never speak to him again" he added.

Katherine nodded her understanding. "How about you take me back to your place and I'll try and take your mind off of this bet" she suggested. Sure, she didn't need to sleep with him seeing as how she got all the information she needed. But hell, why not have a little fun before the real fun began?

"I think that could be arranged" Tyler said, his breath catching in his throat. Katherine stood and Tyler was able to see her gorgeous long legs as her dress fell just above her knees. She followed him to his car all the while keeping her eye of Stefan. Somehow, she was pretty sure she would be with Stefan sooner rather than later.

**A/N: Uh oh, she's back! And on a mission …**


	13. Chapter 13

Two weeks, she had been dating Stefan. And it had been perfect. They had done all of those things that couples did. Movies. Dinner. Picnics in the park. Hanging out around her house or his, depending on who was home. It felt right, spending so much time with him. Elena almost felt silly whenever she would get so excited when his name flashed across the screen of her phone or when she received a notice saying that he had sent her a text message. Even though they had known each other forever, she started to feel like she had only met the real him two weeks ago. He was charming and fun and sweet and kind.

She could spend all day with him, except for today. Today, she was sitting in the town square with Caroline, drinking iced tea, and spending quality time with her friend. Yet, Stefan kept popping up in her thoughts.

Caroline took notice of how distracted Elena was. She was pretty sure Elena had not heard a thing she had just said. "Dear goodness, you have fallen hard" Caroline said.

The radiating smile that appeared on Elena's face told Caroline that she was right. "That obvious, huh?" Elena asked. Stefan and Elena had not really planned on telling anyone right away, but the more they hung out together in public, the more people began to notice. Finally, Elena told Caroline and Bonnie who then told everyone else.

"It's totally obvious" Caroline said, smiling back at her friend. "I'm happy for you, though, I shall have you know, I called it" she said in a matter of fact tone.

Elena raised an eyebrow. "You called it?" she repeated.

Caroline nodded her head. "Yeah, I told Stefan that one day, you two would end up together" she shrugged. "And I was right. I do hope you plan for a fall wedding though. I think soft autumn colors would be perfect for your bridal party" added.

Elena bumped into her friend playfully. "Stefan and I are nowhere near ready to get married, but I do like the sound of a fall wedding" she said. Elena suddenly looked down at her hands, a hard realization hitting her.

Caroline took notice that her friend was no longer playing around. "Elena, what is it?" she asked, concerned.

Elena let out a small sigh. "My wedding. It's supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life and two of the most important people won't be there to share it with me" she said sadly. Caroline grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, knowing Elena had more to say and encouraging her to say it. "I have felt so happy these past two weeks with Stefan. He makes me smile, and laugh. But I can't help feeling guilty. My parents died. I shouldn't be so happy this soon" she admitted.

Caroline shook her head in disagreement. "You are sad, Elena. But you are moving forward, and there is nothing wrong with that. It's what they would want for you" she told her. Elena nodded her understanding and Caroline knew it was going to take time for Elena to actually accept this. So, instead of pressing on, Caroline decided to lighten the mood. "Man, if your parents could see you two now" she smiled. "Holding Stefan's hand and letting him kiss you. They'd never believe it" she teased.

Elena let herself smile once again. "He's one of the good guys, Caroline. I can't believe it took me so long to realize it" Elena said. Most of the guys that went to their high school were pretty into themselves. It was impossible to be anything but an afterthought for them. Not Stefan though. He was definitely into himself, but he was in to her too. The past few weeks since the accident had really proven that for her.

"He really is" Caroline agreed. "The way he looks at you? I'd kill to have someone in my life that looks at me the way he looks at you. He completely adores you" Caroline gushed. Elena blushed. He did have a way of looking at her that made her feel special. "Do you know how many girls at our school are going to hate you come the beginning of the school year? You have the star high school quarterback wrapped around your little finger. They will envy you for sure."

Elena knew all the girls loved Stefan. And now she knew why. But she wasn't worried. Stefan would never do anything to lose her trust. She was sure of it.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stefan grabbed the remote off of the table and plopped down on the couch next to Elena. She moved closer to him and shared the blanket. He wasn't cold, but if sharing a blanket meant that he got to sit closer to her all night, he would use the blanket. The lights were off and in his house, that meant complete darkness. "Where's Damon?" Elena asked casually as the previews started.

Stefan smiled, looking down at her, slowly twirling a strand of her hair around his finger. "He's gone for a few days" he said. It was one of the reasons he had invited her over for a movie. They rarely got time alone, especially when they were at her house.

"Good" Elena replied, resting her head on his chest as she settled into a comfortable position. Stefan put an arm around her. "What did you rent anyways?" she asked, realizing she had no idea what they were watching.

"I don't know, some thriller or something like that. The girl said it was a must see" Stefan replied. He was lying and he knew it. He had picked out the scariest new movie possible with the hope that she would practically be in his lap, holding on to him for dear life all night.

The screen went completely dark before slowly focusing on a young woman walking down a dark road. Elena watched intensely. Of course the young woman heard a noise, stopped, and turned to find the source. And of course she began running. Only when someone popped up out of nowhere and grabbed her did Elena scream, nearly jumping out of her skin in surprise. Elena buried her face in Stefan's shirt, too terrified to look. "Really Stefan?" she mumbled into his chest.

Stefan brought his hand up to her back and stroked it in a comforting manner. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it would be so scary" he lied, but doing a very good job at not letting her know it.

The movie continued on with more screaming and cursing on Elena's part. It was just past midnight when the movie ended and the killer had massacred every single last person. Stefan got up to pop the DVD out and then switched off the TV, leaving Elena alone in the dark. She buried herself further into the blanket, looking around the dark room, her mind beginning to play tricks on her. It suddenly became eerily quiet. "Stefan?" she asked, glancing around the dark area. Nothing.

She shrieked when from out of nowhere, he fell on top of her and her blanket. "Right here" he said, taking advantage of her being unable to move. He bent down and kissed her, missing her lips at first, but quickly finding them.

Elena was resistant to kiss him at first. "That wasn't funny" she said, moving her head to the side to avoid his kisses. Stefan began kissing her neck instead, which she discovered, she liked a whole lot too.

Stefan continued to kiss down her neck before he moved back up to find her lips again. "Sorry" he mumbled in between kissing her. She soon forgave him. Elena wiggled her arms out from under the blanket so that she could have more of an advantage when kissing him. She rested her hands on his shoulders as their make out session ensued.

As much as she wanted to continue kissing him, she knew it was getting late and she needed to be getting home. "Stefan" she said, pushing lightly on his chest.

"Hmmm?" he asked, capturing her lips once again. God she loved those lips and what they could do to her.

"I need to get home" she sighed, pushing on his chest once again. She sat up and so did he. "I can't believe you made me watch that movie and now I have to drive home by myself" she said, feigning disbelief. She still couldn't see anything, but could make him out in the dark as he sat in front of her.

"You could stay the night" he suggested, a hint of hope in his voice.

Elena frowned, even though he couldn't see it. "I can't. Jenna would freak" she reminded. Elena slipped out from under the blanket.

"So stay until the morning and then sneak back in. She never told you that you had to be home at a certain time" he said, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. He grabbed her hand and sensed her hesitancy. They hadn't spent time in each other's beds since that night. He inwardly sighed. "I can drive you home" he offered.

Elena felt bad. He sounded so disappointed, even though he was trying to hide it. What would be the harm in staying? It meant that she would get more time with him. "I'll stay" she said.

Stefan smiled. He wanted her to feel comfortable with him, even though two weeks wasn't a long time to be dating. "You can sleep in one of the guest bedrooms" he said, wondering if that would make her feel more comfortable.

Elena yanked her hand away from him. "Don't you dare think about putting me in a room by myself after making me watch that movie" she told him seriously. "I just … I'm not ready …" she struggled to get out. She felt lame for even having to say it. After all, she had thrown herself at him once before and now she was awkwardly skating around the issue of sex with him.

She felt Stefan's hand hold the side of her face as he gently used his thumb to stroke her cheek. "Sleep will be the only thing going on in that bed until you say otherwise" he told her. He respected her and no matter how badly he wanted to get her clothes off of her again, he would suppress his urge until she felt the same way.

Elena nodded. "Thank you" she said quietly. She felt truly lucky that he was willing to wait until she was ready again. Every day, she trusted him a little more.

He leaned in and kissed her slowly. "Come on" he whispered against her lips. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he picked her up, continuing to kiss her. Elena giggled when he tripped on the staircase, nearly making them both fall down it.

Stefan dropped her on the bed, falling on top of her in the process. He kissed her one last time before sitting back up and turning the bedside lamp on. "I think there's an extra toothbrush in one of the drawers" he said, leaving her momentarily to go and search for it. Elena sat up and waited for him to return, hearing the water turn on and off. "Here" he said, tossing the packed brush to her. At least she was already in her sweats. He hadn't done laundry all week and was pretty sure he had nothing left for her to wear. Elena finished setting her alarm so she could get up and sneak back in to her house.

Elena got up and went to the bathroom, but not before she dodged his arms. She'd never get her teeth brushed if she continued to let him kiss her. Stefan plopped down on the bed, closing his eyes as he heard the water run. He sat up some and tossed a few extra pillows to the floor and then got under the covers. "You coming sometime this century?" he called to her teasingly. He smiled, hearing her shut the water off as well as the bathroom light.

Elena exited the bathroom. "You're so damn impatient. You know that, right?" she asked him, walking to the other side of the bed and climbing in.

Before she even had her head on the pillow, he snaked his arms around her, pulling her close. "You love it. Don't lie" he whispered, nibbling on the bottom of her ear softly. "Have I told you how beautiful you are today?" he asked, moving his lips lower, onto her neck. He knew she loved it when he did that, even if she wouldn't admit it. She loved everything about him. He was sure of it. Because he loved everything about her.

Elena smiled. No way was she going to admit liking anything about him right away. She didn't want him getting too cocky so soon in their relationship. "Turn off the light, Romeo" she muttered.

Stefan moved away from her momentarily and the room was suddenly filled with darkness. He moved back over to her, holding her close once again. "I could get used to this" he sighed, resting his head close to hers.

Elena remained quiet, not quite sure what to say. Spending the night with him was definitely a big step in their newly formed relationship. "Stefan?" she asked. He mumbled a "hmmm" and she could tell that he was getting sleepy. She wondered if now was the time to have one of these conversations. "Do you see a future for us?" she asked quietly. "You know, like beyond Senior year?" she clarified. She felt Stefan's arms loosen and she took the opportunity to turn around and face him.

"Why would you ask me that?" he asked with a softness in his voice that she could get used to hearing. Elena shrugged. "Elena …" he pressed.

She sighed. "I just don't want to get too attached and then have us break up. I'm not sure I could deal with that right now, or even later on" she replied, wondering if she sounded needy yet.

"Miss Gilbert, are you saying that you want me around for a while?" he asked, a hint of teasing in his voice. She smiled slightly and even though he could not see her, he knew she was. "There's nothing that can come between us Elena. We've known each other far too long" he said sincerely, easing her worry. Stefan leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'm not going anywhere."

Elena closed her eyes, letting relief wash over her. She did not want to feel so insecure around him, but something kept telling her to guard her heart, just in case. "I'm not either" she replied. The last thing she remembered was telling him goodnight.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Beep. Beep. Beep. Elena and Stefan both groaned as the alarm on her phone went off. "What time is it?" Stefan asked, keeping is eyes shut as he used the pillow to cover his ears.

Elena blinked a few times before reading her phone. "Six" she said, setting her phone down. "I have to get home before Jenna wakes up" she reminded. She tossed the covers off of her and was about to get out when a strong pair of arms engulfed her, pulling her back into bed. Elena laughed softly as the covers were pulled back over their heads. "Stefan, I have to go" she said half-heartedly.

"No you don't" he sighed, closing his eyes and attempting to go back to bed. He had the best night's sleep with her in his arms. He wasn't about to let that go.

Elena sighed, feeling her eyes grow heavy. She could easily fall back asleep. But if Jenna found out that she had stayed the night, there would be no more going over to Stefan's for late night movies. "If Jenna found out that I didn't come home last night, we're both in trouble" Elena said, pulling his arms away from her.

Stefan groaned, both at the loss of contact and at the fact that Elena was right. He tossed the covers off of himself and staggered behind Elena as they went downstairs. "What are you doing today?" he asked, suppressing a yawn as he did so.

Elena grabbed her purse and keys off of the table. "Girly stuff" she answered, checking her phone for any new messages. "Nails and hair" she clarified when she looked back up and saw confusion on his face. "Trust me, you would be bored" she said, placing a hand on his shoulder as she reached up and kissed his cheek. "Bye" she whispered.

Stefan pulled her into a hug before she could get away. "Drive safe" he whispered into her ear before letting her go. Elena smiled as he bent down and kissed her forehead. It was something that he had never done before but something he hoped she would continue to do. Stefan opened the door for her and watched her leave. He didn't shut it until she was safely in her car and on to the main road.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Another update! I am on a roll. I much prefer to write this story than to read my textbook for school ;) I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think. Thanks!**

Elena admired her nails as she walked out of the salon. Her hair had been trimmed and styled earlier and her nails looked a lot better than they had lately. Although Stefan probably wouldn't notice any of it, she felt a lot better. She was on her way to get coffee when she bumped into someone. "I'm sorry" she said quickly, realizing she had bumped into a young woman around her age. "I didn't see you" Elena added.

Katherine smiled. Just the person she wanted to bump into. "Don't worry about it" she said politely. Elena smiled back at her and stepped around her, really needing that coffee. "Elena, right?" Katherine asked, holding her hand off to the side. Katherine smirked when she heard Elena's sandals stop snapping against the pavement.

Elena stopped and turned around, as did Katherine. They faced each other as Elena focused on how this woman knew her. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked. She looked kind of familiar.

Katherine smiled once again. "I'm Katherine. Damon's ex" she reminded. The look on Elena's face told Katherine that Elena knew who she was now. "I take it by the look on your face that you have not heard the greatest things about me" Katherine guessed. That figured. You couldn't sneeze in this small of a town without people talking about it.

Elena studied her closely. Katherine was a little taller than her with the same olive skin complexion and dark brown hair, though Katherine had neat curls. Elena could see why Damon had fallen for Katherine. She was beautiful. Elena snapped out of her thoughts. "No, I was just trying to remember if we had officially met" Elena lied. She could tell that Katherine knew this by the scrutinizing look she was giving her. Of course the town had talked about Katherine after she high-tailed it out of Mystic Falls after trying to cheat on Damon. With Stefan.

"We have" Katherine announced. "At the Lockwood Mansion" she reminded. Elena slowly nodded her head.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable in Katherine's presence, Elena decided it was time to go. "It was nice seeing you again" she said, smiling quickly and turning to leave.

"I heard that you're dating Stefan now" Katherine called after her. Elena stopped. It was no secret that Katherine had a thing for Stefan.

Elena turned around, more on edge now. "What is it that you want, Katherine?" Elena asked, deciding to cut to the chase.

"What makes you think I want something?" Katherine asked, cocking her head to the side. "I was simply asking about you and Stefan" she smirked.

Elena glared. "Look, I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm not going to play along" Elena said. She didn't like girls like Katherine.

Katherine continued to smirk. "Who says I'm the one playing a game with you?" she asked innocently. Elena furrowed her brow. "Are you a betting woman?" Katherine continued. "Because, I hear Stefan is a betting man."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Elena asked, quite confused. Part of her told her to just walk away. Katherine was crazy. The other part told her to stay and figure out what Katherine was up to.

"I'm talking about a bet that Stefan made, concerning you" she smiled. She was almost too giddy to hold the information in.

"What kind of bet?" Elena asked, proceeding with caution.

Katherine twirled a piece of hair around her finger as she held Elena's warning gaze. "Oh, you know. A bet about sex" she said casually. Elena's eyes grew a little wider. "He bet Tyler Lockwood that he could get you to sleep with him by the end of summer" she finally spilled out. "But, at least you haven't slept with him yet, right?" she asked.

Elena instantly felt sick. Katherine was lying. She was a liar, Elena reminded herself. Because Stefan would never do that to her. "If you're trying to go after Stefan, you're going to have to do a lot better than making up this crap" Elena bit out. She turned on her heel and began walking back to her car, forgetting about her coffee.

"Ask Tyler Lockwood!" Katherine called out. She smiled as Elena continued walking.

Elena quickly unlocked her car and got in. She gripped her steering wheel tightly as she ran through her conversation with Katherine once again. It wasn't true, what Katherine had said. Just the thought of it made her sick. The fact that she would trust Stefan in such an intimate situation only for him to be using that trust to his advantage to win some stupid bet. No, it was not true.

Elena's cell phone began buzzing in her purse, making her jump. She grabbed for it and saw that Stefan was calling. Elena held her phone for a moment, debating on what to do. She decided to ignore his call. She didn't feel like talking to him.

He did not leave a voice mail, but he did text her. "I miss you, call me" was what she read shortly after. If he had made that bet to get her to sleep with him, why would he want a relationship with her? Why not just dump her and be done with her?

Elena tossed her phone aside and started her car. She pulled out of the parking lot, but instead of heading towards home, she went in the opposite direction, not really sure where she was going.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Elena, hey. Can you please call me back? Let me know you're okay?" he said into his phone, hoping his message did not sound too stalkerish or overprotective. He had been trying to get ahold of her for hours now. He did not want to think the worst, but she was really giving him no other choice.

"Trouble in paradise already?" Damon mock pouted as he heard Stefan come into the room. "You have to keep your women on a leash if you expect them to stick around" he added.

"My relationship with Elena is fine" Stefan bit out. It hadn't crossed his mind that Elena might have panicked and decided she really didn't want a relationship with him after all.

"Okay" Damon said, turning the page on his new book. "Hear from Katherine?" he asked casually, though Stefan knew he was fishing for her whereabouts. The poor guy was as angry as he was in love.

Stefan stepped in front of the light coming in through the window, causing Damon to sigh. "She's your whore. You keep tabs on her" Stefan growled out, walking away angrily. He grabbed his keys and slammed his door on the way out.

Damon smirked. Elena was giving Stefan the runaround. This could only work in Damon's favor.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Elena sat on the old swing that hung from the old tree at her parent's lake house. Or rather, her and her brother's lake house now. She had ended up there after her run in with Katherine. It was always her go-to spot when she needed to think. Yet, she couldn't get herself to go inside. So she sat outside, on that swing, for hours.

Her mind would go back and forth between "He would never do that to you" to "What if he did make that bet" and it would never settle on one or the other. She could just ask him, couldn't she? But did she want to run the risk of it not being true and throwing a wrench in their newly formed relationship?

Her phone had been ringing and buzzing all afternoon, but she had ignored him, finally turning her phone off altogether. He would probably come look for her.

Elena looked out across the water, scanning the few boats that drove by. Her own boat was covered up still and she wondered if she should have someone help her get it out on the lake. Behind her sat the house, still locked up from the previous month. The last people to use it being her father and her brother for a fishing getaway.

Elena looked to her right and saw the huddle of trees that shaded the yard from the sun. It was also where she and Stefan had gotten in trouble one summer when they were seven for hitting each other with sticks. He had accidently hit her above the eye while practicing his batting. She had become so angry that she hauled off and hit him in the stomach with hers. They had both spent the better part of an hour in chairs in opposite corners, thinking about the consequences of swinging sticks. Jeremy had sat in the middle of the kitchen watching them and eating chocolate chip cookies while his mother baked.

To her left was the cabana where Stefan had seen her practically naked for the first time. She almost blushed at the memory of him walking in on her changing when they were 14. She had screamed bloody murder and he had yelled something about ripping his eyes out.

The more Elena looked around the property, the more she realized that she didn't have one memory of this place that didn't involve Stefan. Stefan had spent the majority of his childhood with her family. She probably knew more about him than he would have liked her too. She smiled at the thought. She had a lot of embarrassing stories involving him, but then again, he probably had the same amount for her too.

"There you are" she heard, causing her to whip her head around. Stefan was walking across the lawn towards her. "Do you know what an answer button is on a phone?" he asked with a little more bite in his tone than he had intended. But he had been worried. Elena winced slightly, knowing that he was a little angry.

Elena stood up from her swing as he approached. "I'm sorry" she told him. "I shut it off. I just … needed time to think" she added, turning back towards the water.

Stefan felt bad for the way he had spoken to her. He understood her needing time on her own. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and ducking his head into the crook of her neck. "I get it. And I'm sorry I was so harsh" he said, kissing her neck. "I was just worried. You sit in a room by yourself all afternoon and your mind begins to go crazy" he added softly, kissing her again. Elena closed her eyes, feeling instantly guilty for ever even thinking about questioning him about making some bet about getting her into bed. It was ridiculous.

Elena slowly turned around in his arms, looking up at him as he brushed her hair behind her ears. "I know. I would have felt the same way. So I really am sorry" she said, resting her head against his chest.

He hugged her tight. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're alright" he said, kissing her head. A single drop of rain fell from the sky and landed on her head. Then another one followed by a few more. Elena smiled. The forecast had actually been right. A downpour was next and both he and Elena took off for the cabana. As fast as they made it in there, they were still both a little wet. Her newly trimmed and styled hair was sticking to her cheeks and her t-shirt was soaked.

"So much for my hair looking nice" she said, shaking excess water off of herself.

Stefan grinned. "Your nails still look pretty" he commented, making her smile. He moved towards her, grabbing her face in his hands and kissing her long and hard. When he broke away from her, he moved her hair off of her face and smiled. "I don't think you've ever looked more beautiful" he told her sincerely.

Elena held his eyes with her own, trembling slightly from the rain but also from the way his fingers held on to her waist. "You know what I realized earlier?" she asked quietly.

Stefan pulled her closer, not caring if their soaking wet clothes were sticking together. "What did you realize?" he asked, resting his forehead against hers, thinking about how much he wanted to kiss her again.

Elena smiled. "I realized that I don't have a single memory of this place that doesn't involve you" she said. "Like when you hit me in the eye with the bat?" she teased softly.

Stefan remembered exactly what she was talking about. He pulled his head away from hers and softly ran his thumb over the barely visible scare above her eyebrow. "Sounds like our memories here aren't very good ones" he said, looking back into her eyes once again. "Maybe we should make new ones" he finished before leaning into her and kissing her. Elena stumbled backwards with Stefan following her.

Elena bumped into a chair and Stefan held onto her to keep her from falling. Elena laughed but that did not stop Stefan from continuing to push her back towards the couch that sat at the far end of the cabana. He continued to kiss her, even as she fell on the couch and he came tumbling down on top of her.

Stefan grabbed the hem of her shirt, slowly lifting it up. She sat up some and helped him pull it off. She took the opportunity to help him get rid of his shirt too. Elena wrapped her arms around his neck, taking the initiative and pulling them back down on the couch. She closed her eyes as Stefan's lips left hers and trailed down her jaw, her neck, and finding her collarbone. He nipped at her sensitive skin, nearly causing her to yelp. "Stefan" she breathed out. All thoughts of Stefan making some stupid bet had left her mind.

Stefan was pretty sure he could stay here with Elena, doing this, until the end of time and he would never tire of it. And they hadn't even gotten to the really good stuff yet. He trailed his kisses back up to her ear, sucking lightly. "Elena" he whispered. Her eyes were still closed and she was pretty sure she couldn't answer him even if she wanted to. Stefan smiled, loving the fact that he could make her so relaxed. "Let's go away together. For the weekend" he whispered again.

Elena's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly. Stefan was surprised by her reaction. He had been thinking about going away with her for about a week now. "Just us?" she asked. Her insecurities suddenly came rushing back. Why did he need to get her alone and take her someplace else?

Stefan intertwined his fingers with hers. "Yeah, maybe to the city or even to the coast" he suggested. "I could teach you how to surf" he winked, trying to ease her anxiety.

"I … I don't know if Jenna would be okay with that" she stumbled to get out.

Stefan nodded. "I thought about that, and I would be more than willing to talk to Jenna" he explained. He and Elena would be eighteen in a few months. He hoped that would give him some leverage. Elena still looked like she wanted to run right out of the cabana and get away from him. "I'm not so sure you are okay with it" he pointed out.

Elena had two options. She could tell Stefan the truth about Katherine telling her about the bet, or she could avoid that conversation and put a smile on her face, agreeing to go with him.

"I'd love to go away with you" Elena said, looking up at him and smiling.

"Really?" he asked. She nodded. She was glad she gave the answer she did because he looked so unbelievably happy. He pulled Elena into a hug, vowing that it would be the best few days they had ever had together.

Elena glanced at the clock behind Stefan. It was almost six. "Stefan" she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "I need to get home" she told him.

Stefan nodded. She was right. It was getting late, especially because no one knew where they were. "Okay" he sighed, kissing her head before letting her go. He grabbed her shirt and handed it to her and then pulled his own shirt back on. "Will you be at the Lockwood garden party tomorrow?" he asked.

Elena cringed. She had almost forgotten. "Two hours with a bunch of gossiping women? How could I miss out on that?" she smirked.

"Well, I will see you there tomorrow then" he laughed, standing up and pulling her up with him. Stefan held her hand during the whole walk back to their vehicles. "Bye" he said, once she had settled into the driver's seat.

"Bye" Elena said. Stefan stuck his head in her window and kissed her. He stepped back and watched her back out of the driveway. As happy as he was that she had agreed to go away with him, he couldn't help but get the feeling that something was wrong.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I really hope you all are enjoying reading this story as much as I am enjoying writing it right now! Thank you for the reviews, encouraging me to continue. I really appreciate it. I might not be so eager to update without you telling me to!**

Stefan scanned the yard, searching for Elena. He didn't see her or Jenna and Jeremy, so he figured they were running late. Stefan was hiding out closer to the mansion, avoiding Tyler and older women who loved to kiss on him. At this point, he wasn't sure which would be worse. He was certainly looking forward to seeing Elena and wondered how he had ever survived these events when he couldn't stand Elena. "Hey you" she said, walking up behind him and placing her arms around his waist.

Stefan immediately cringed at the close contact and removed her arms. "How the hell did you get an invite, Katherine?" Stefan asked as he turned around to face her. "This is a private party." His eyes were narrowed, showing her that he was not in a friendly mood.

Katherine bit her bottom lip, her pretty brown eyes gleaming up at him. "I made sure to get an invite" she finally answered. "So I could see you" she giggled lightly, poking his chest. She certainly was not welcome at his place. She knew he was less likely to cause a scene in a more public place.

Stefan laughed to himself in disbelief. "I would have thought you would have gotten the message the last time you saw me" he told her. "I don't want anything to do with you." He moved to step around her, but she stepped in front of him, placing her hands on his chest.

"I want to be with you, Stefan" she said, tilting her head to the side. "And I'll do whatever I have to in order to make that happen" Katherine told him, determination in her voice. "You think I don't know about your little precious Elena?" she asked, staring up into his now venomous eyes. She was getting to him and she knew it.

Stefan felt his blood begin to boil inside of him. How dare her. Stefan stepped close to her, making sure she heard him. "You listen to me Katherine and you listen to me good. You and I? Not going to happen. Ever" he said roughly. Katherine locked eyes with him, listening to him but not believing him. "Stay away from Elena" he growled, bumping into her shoulder as he pushed passed her. Katherine stood where she was, fuming.

Elena stood by her car, having watched Stefan's interaction with Katherine. Neither one looked happy and she wanted to know what they had said to one another. "Elena, you coming?" Jenna asked, grabbing her purse from the car.

"I'll catch up" Elena said, watching her brother and aunt make their way to the backyard. Elena returned her attention back to Stefan who was walking along the far side of the property. She wondered if he would walk out of the gate and leave. But he didn't. He stopped and sat on a bench, his hands placed over his face.

He was frustrated. Frustrated with a woman who meant nothing to him. Elena made her slow journey over to him, careful as her heels sunk into the manicured grass. Stefan's head shot up when he heard someone approaching, praying to God that it was not Katherine. His angry, frustrated expression did a complete turnaround when he saw Elena. She looked amazing in her green dress that fell just above her knees. It was a little daring of her, especially for a formal garden party, but he wasn't going to point that out if it meant he got to stare at her long legs all afternoon.

"You okay?" she asked, stopping so that her legs were touching his.

Stefan grabbed her hands, thinking about how lucky he was. Not only was Elena beautiful. She was loving and honest and he knew that she cared about him. All things that Katherine was not. "I'm better now" he said, a small smile appearing.

Elena nodded. "Who was she?" Elena asked casually. "You two looked like you were in a pretty heated disagreement" she added. Elena knew fully well it was Katherine, but she wanted to see if he would tell her or not.

Stefan hung his head. "Her name is Katherine. Damon's ex and the best lying, manipulating, cold-hearted bitch you will ever meet" Stefan stated. He looked back up at Elena and squeezed her hands in his own. "Stay away from her, Elena. She likes to play games and she will do everything she can to make your life miserable" he explained. Elena nodded once more. She could hear the desperation in his voice and wondered if he had another reason for telling her to stay away from Katherine.

"Hey, let's get back to the party" Elena said softly, tugging on his hands.

Stefan just shook his head. He wasn't in the mood. "I think I'm going to go home. I don't really want to be here if she's going to be" he said.

"Okay" she said, understanding his reasoning. "I have to make an appearance though" she reminded him. He nodded his head, knowing she did. "But, why don't you come over to my house for dinner tonight?" she suggested. "Around six? We can talk to Jenna about that weekend away?"

"Sounds like a plan" he said, standing and holding onto her face. "Tell Mrs. Lockwood I wasn't feeling well?" he asked.

"Sure" she smiled softly, leaning in and kissing him. Stefan kissed her back and it lasted a few minutes. Both sighed when they pulled away. "Six" she reminded.

Stefan smiled. She was always so punctual. "Six thirty it is" he said, earning him a slap on the shoulder. "I'll be there before six" he corrected, leaning in and kissing her one last time. He watched her walk away. Elena smiled the whole time, knowing he was watching her but refusing to let him know that she knew.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stefan arrived fifteen minutes early to find Jenna in the kitchen, pulling dishes out of the oven. "Where's Elena?" he asked, though he knew the answer.

"Upstairs. I told her she couldn't be in here while cooking was going on. I wouldn't have time to restart dinner after she caught it on fire or worse, dumped half a bottle of salt in something" Jenna explained.

Stefan grinned as he moved to the sink to wash his hands. He loved teasing Elena about cooking because it was all so true. He had never met anyone in his entire life who was as hopeless as she was in the kitchen. Maybe he would teach her one day. "And Jeremy?" he asked, taking the knife from Jenna and taking over on chopping the vegetables.

Jenna moved to the other side of the kitchen and grabbed the dressing out of the refrigerator. "He's at the Grill with some friends" she replied, leaving to set the table.

Stefan placed the vegetables on the dish next to him and brought it to the table. "Can I talk to you about something?" he asked, watching the entrance into the room to make sure Elena wasn't around.

Jenna stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. "What is it?" she asked.

He felt nervous all of a sudden, like he was just meeting Jenna for the first time. He had talked to this woman about everything. "I … I really care about Elena" he said, making eye-contact with Jenna. "I like her a lot and I would like to spend more time with her" he added. Jenna nodded, not quite sure where this was going. "I'd like to take Elena to the coast for a weekend" he finally spit out.

Jenna set the stack of plates down on the table with a thud and Stefan was pretty sure that was not a good sign. "Just the two of you?" she asked. Stefan swallowed hard and then nodded. "The two of you, alone, overnight, for a weekend?" she asked. Stefan nodded again, his throat going dry. "And just what would be going on during this weekend?" she interrogated.

"Surfing" Stefan blurted out. It was the first thing that came to his mind. "And, you know, relaxing" he added.

Jenna placed a hand on her hip. "Relaxing, huh?" she questioned. Stefan kind of wanted to run out of that house and never look back. He honestly thought Jenna would be cool with this. "I was your age once, Stefan" she said, pointing her finger at him. "I know what goes on in those minds of yours. It's new, exciting. You can't keep your hands off of each other. But let me tell you something, spending time together, being intimate, it's a big deal, especially for the girl. So if you think you can just whisk her off for a weekend and have yourself some fun …" she began to rant.

"I love her" Stefan admitted before he could stop himself. Jenna's eyes grew wide as she stood before him. "I'm not taking her away for the weekend to give in to my raging teenage hormones" he stated. "I love her and I want to spend time alone, with her" he finished.

Jenna's hand went to her mouth as she processed what Stefan had just said. "Oh my God" she whispered.

"You don't have to sound so shocked" he said, a nervous smile appearing. He thought it was pretty obvious how he felt about her. It was to him, anyway.

Jenna shook her head, beginning to get emotional. "I just, I always pictured this moment, you know, since you two were little, but hearing you say that, I just …" she said, waving her hand in front of her face to stop the tears from spilling onto her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm just so happy right now" she said. She probably should have continued to lecture him on how they were only 17 years old and that they still really didn't know what love was or what it entailed, but she couldn't. Stefan just admitted how he felt about Elena.

Stefan stood there awkwardly while Jenna had her moment. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "So, does this mean I can take her to the coast?" he asked hesitantly.

Jenna took a few deep breaths and then smiled. "No, Stefan. You can't" she said, walking back to the kitchen.

Stefan trailed after her. "Okay, I think we can discuss this and come to an agreement" he said, following her around the kitchen. "Two nights. Separate bedrooms" he tried again.

"Yeah, because I wasn't 17 once" she scoffed. Separate bedrooms only meant that one bedroom would end up not being used. She really hated being the protective parental figure, but she had no choice. "Besides, if John caught wind of this, he'd make all of our lives hell."

"So he won't find out" Elena said from the entrance way of the kitchen. Stefan and Jenna both turned to look at her. "It's really none of his business" she added, making her way in and stopping next to Stefan, placing her arms around him. "I'd really like to go."

Jenna looked back and forth between Elena and Stefan. They looked so happy. "Oh hell, just go. But leave me an address and phone number for your hotel" she said. Stefan and Elena smiled, both agreeing. "Just tell me, would your parents agree to this?" Jenna asked curiously, directing her question to Elena. She almost regretted bringing them up after she said it.

Elena smiled, thinking about her answer. "Mom? Definitely. Dad? Not a chance in hell" Elena said. She knew her mom would cover for her though, much like Jenna was going to do.

"Well, that settles it then" Jenna said, having another moment as she thought about her sister. "So, ready for dinner?" she asked, changing the subject quickly. Stefan and Elena both nodded, following Jenna into the other room. Stefan and Elena stole glances at each other the whole time.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stefan walked into the boarding house, smiling as he tossed his keys onto a nearby table. He had a great evening with Elena and Jenna and now, he had to plan his weekend getaway with Elena. It had to be perfect. A perfect view of the ocean, romantic dinners, and long walks along the beach at sunset and maybe, even at sunrise. He had the perfect resort in mind that was close to shopping and other touristy activities.

He was determined to let her have a really amazing time. She deserved it after everything she had been through recently. He tossed around a few dates in his mind and figured, why not take off next weekend?

Stefan was so preoccupied that he did not hear Damon walk up behind him. "Hello, Brother" he said, causing Stefan to jump.

"Jesus, Damon" Stefan said, controlling himself so as not to slap the obnoxious smirk off of Damon's face.

"Carol called" Damon mentioned. "Said you bailed on the garden party. Why was that?" he questioned.

Stefan faced him, daring him to start something. "You didn't show up at all" Stefan shrugged. Damon shook his head, amused that Stefan would deflect like that. "I didn't feel like staying. Katherine got herself invited."

Damon narrowed his eyes. "By who?" he questioned.

Stefan shrugged. "Does it matter? Could have been anyone. She sleeps with everyone. I wouldn't be surprised if she hooked up with Tyler" Stefan said. "Whatever you do, don't give her a reason to stay, Damon" Stefan warned.

"Me?" Damon questioned. "You're the one giving her a reason to stay. Throwing Elena around in her face has to be doing wonders for her scheming" he smirked.

Stefan crossed his arms. "I'm not throwing Elena in anyone's face" he clarified. He happened to be in love with her, though, he was still working up the courage to tell her that himself. "I care about Elena" he stated.

Damon laughed at that. "You care about her, huh?" he asked. "Well, what a coincidence. So do I" he announced.

Stefan grimaced. "No, you don't" he informed Damon. "You just want to make her think you do so you can drop a bombshell on her and turn her life upside down, all to settle some grudge that does not directly concern her" Stefan said angrily.

Damon grinned. "Someone has to pay" Damon replied. "Why not her? Why not precious, little Elena Gilbert?"

Stefan slammed Damon into the wall behind him. "I will not let you destroy her life" Stefan said, raising his voice. "Stay away from Elena." With one last shove, Stefan backed away and turned to go up to his room.

Damon straightened out his shirt, still grinning. Stefan would mess up sooner or later and Damon would swoop in, healing Elena's broken heart. That, is when he would get what he really wanted. Justice. Rather, his idea of justice.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I was able to get this chapter done in less than a day, thanks to that bee that stung me, forcing me to stay home all day! Since I am on break from school, I figured I could use my time to write. I got a lot of reviews for the last chapter! I always get excited when my e-mail notifies me. I hope to get more for this chapter. Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers! **

Elena could barely contain her excitement as they headed down the highway, making a few turns until they were finally headed straight for the coast. Only a few more hours to go. She had kicked off her sandals and was reading a flyer she printed off before they left. It outlined all of the tourist attractions, from shops to surfboard rentals and everything in between. He wanted to laugh at how excited she was. She had been to the beach before, but he figured it had been a while. She rattled off various things she wanted to do, too excited to stop and ask him what he thought. So, he simply sat back and smiled. He did have somewhat of a plan on what they would be doing, but he figured she could pick some stuff to do too.

Stefan hadn't bothered to make reservations. This time of the year was mostly camping season for the locals, so the campgrounds would be full, but the hotels and the resort would be rather empty. He thought about how much she was going to like the resort. It had everything including the perfect view of the ocean with a private balcony and a Jacuzzi tub. He had stayed there a few times with his parents when he was younger and even as recently as last year when he needed to get away for a week.

Elena was still rattling off things she wanted to do when he turned back to her. She had spent all week packing for this trip. She would pack everything up neatly into one bag (Stefan had been clear that one bag was all she needed) and then decided she didn't want one item and had to take everything out of the suitcase in order to replace it with something else. Finally, she had said to hell with it and packed three bags, making sure that she had everything she had needed. Stefan had simply rolled his eyes.

The thought of Stefan making the bet was still in the back of her mind, but she was determined to have a good time on this trip. She needed to have a good time. Elena promised herself by the end of it, if she still had any doubts, that she would ask him about it. But for right now, she was content with being happy.

Elena looked over at him. His left hand was holding on to the steering wheel; his right hand was laying lazily on his leg. Elena smiled as she reached over and grabbed his free hand. He in turn looked her way again. No words were needed and soon, she was back to rattling off things from her flyer, still holding on to his hand.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

With less than 50 miles to go, Stefan stepped on the gas a little more, eager to get there. Elena was fidgeting with the radio, trying to find a station that was static-free. Finally, she landed on one and her eyes lit up, indicating that she recognized the song. Stefan did too. "No" Stefan said, shaking his head. "Absolutely not." He moved his hand to change the station, but she smacked it away.

"I grew up listening to the Backstreet Boys!" she practically shouted as she turned the volume up. Before Stefan knew it, Elena was singing along to the obnoxious music. She was also dancing, or, as much dancing as she could do while in a seatbelt. He so desperately wanted to change it, but the sight of her having fun prevented him from doing it. This is what you did when you loved someone. You sacrificed your sanity.

The song finally ended and as Elena was playing with the radio again, she noticed a splash of water fall on her arm. She out the window and realized that dark clouds were rolling in and rain was forming. Stefan rolled up their windows and turned on the wipers. Elena looked at him hesitantly. "You checked the forecast, right?" she asked.

No. He hadn't. "It's just passing through. Nothing to worry about" he told her. Elena nodded, accepting his answer.

But it wasn't just passing through. It followed them all the way to the coast. As they rolled into the little beach town, they noticed that the streets and the beach were empty. So they would have to spend the rest of the day in their room? Stefan grinned when he thought of all the things they could do in their room, together. Stefan drove a few more miles before turning into the parking lot at the resort. It was full of cars. He had to park towards the back of the lot. The rain continued to fall harder and harder. "Stay here. I'll go and check in" he told her.

Elena locked the doors as soon as he was out of the truck. She watched him make a run for the door of the resort. She looked up at the sky when she could no longer see Stefan. The clouds were growing darker by the minute.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What do you mean there aren't any rooms?" Stefan asked, clearly frustrated. This place was never full this time of the year.

"Since the rain set in, all the campers packed up and got rooms here. We booked our last room fifteen minutes ago" the front deskman said, checking his computer. "I can put you on the wait list for tomorrow, but I can't get you in tonight" he said apologetically.

"Great" Stefan grumbled as he turned to leave. He mentally kicked himself for not getting a reservation. He made his way back out to the truck. By the time he got to it, he was soaked. "They're booked solid because of the stupid rain" he told her.

Elena could tell he was mad. He had talked nonstop about this place for days. "There are other places to stay" she said as cheerfully as she could. She heard Stefan sigh as he started the truck up.

Elena watched Stefan dart across the parking lot through the rain more than half a dozen times, each time, returning with a frustrated look. They drove further down the coast, almost 15 miles, until they reached what they figured would be their last shot at being able to stay overnight on the this particular stretch of the beach.

This hotel was smaller and less crowded and Stefan could take a good guess why. "No way" Stefan said stubbornly. This place was falling apart on the outside. He could only guess what it looked like on the inside.

"It's our last option, Stefan" Elena reminded him. She had to admit, it was not the best looking place around, but it would serve its purpose for the night. "Come on" she said, opening her door and going with him this time. They walked hand in hand, Stefan opening the door for her. An older guy approached the counter from around back, his hair greasy and his wife beater ripped. He was chewing on something, what, Stefan and Elena did not know. The man was running his eyes up and down Elena and she felt herself leaning in to Stefan more and more. She felt his grip on her hand tighten.

"You looking for a room?" he asked, turning his eyes to Stefan. "'Cause I got one left" he added, placing his hands on the counter.

Stefan locked eyes with him for a moment before giving the place a thorough once over. "How much?" Stefan asked.

"Fifty" the man replied, leaning back from the counter and grabbing a key off of the key ring. Stefan grabbed his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar bill, tossing it on the counter. Stefan grabbed the key and gently pushed Elena in front of him, not wanting to give that creep a view of her backside.

They didn't say anything as they walked to their room. As Elena went to step up on the first step on the staircase, Stefan grabbed her, pulling her back. "What?" she asked. Stefan pointed to the broken step and she smiled. "My hero" she said sarcastically.

"Damn right I am" he whispered against her ear before kissing it. "Come on" he said, stepping over the broken step and helping her over it as well.

Once they got to the room, Stefan opened the door and Elena followed him in. He turned on a light, the only light, and took in the room. It was worse than he thought. The walls were plain brown, and the carpet looked like it hadn't been washed in years. There was a single, twin size bed, near the window. The curtains were mismatched and torn. It smelled like cleaning solution, which actually made him feel better knowing that there had been some effort to clean the place. "It's …" Elena began, scanning the room for the right word.

"Trashy" Stefan finished for her. He had standards, and his standards were significantly higher when Elena was with him. "We're outta here" he said, turning to leave.

But Elena grabbed his arm to stop him. "We've been driving all morning. The weather is crappy. One night here won't kill us" she said.

Stefan sighed and shut the door. The door handle fell off and he watched it roll into the corner of the small room. "I'm sorry Elena" he said, feeling extremely guilty. "I should have made a reservation. Now you have to stay in this piece of shit hotel" he said.

Elena smiled at him, which kind of confused him. "Stefan?" she asked. He looked over at her. "I'm with you. I don't care about anything else right now" she told him honestly. Elena walked over to him, placing her arms around his waist. Stefan cupped her face and bent down to kiss her. He kissed her slowly before moving his hands to the zipper on her jacket, undoing it and helping her shrug it off.

Elena smiled when his lips met hers again. He pushed her backwards, falling with her on the bed. He wasn't sure when things between them started to heat up, but it was somewhere after his shirt came off. Elena closed her eyes, her hands on his bare back, as Stefan's hands snaked up under her own shirt. Stefan pulled up so he could get her shirt off, laying her back down gently. He smiled as he looked at her before moving back in to kiss her.

Stefan's fingers ran down her side, stopping at her hips as he deepened their kiss. "Elena" he breathed in between kissing her. She felt his hands move to her shorts as he started to unbutton them.

"Stefan" she said before his lips crashed onto hers again. "I can't …" she mumbled against him hesitantly.

Stefan stopped his advances. He couldn't deny that he was disappointed. But at the same time, he respected her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to take it that far" he apologized.

Elena placed a hand on his chest, shaking her head. "I want to …" she trailed off. Stefan looked at her curiously. "I just … I … I can't be naked in this bed" she said quickly with a disgusted look on her face that soon turned into a laugh.

Stefan laughed with her. "You're right. I didn't even think about that" he said, kissing her quickly and sat up. She did as well.

"But" she said seductively, running her finger down his chest. "When we get a cleaner room tomorrow, we can stay in bed all day and make up for what we couldn't do today" she said. She felt her own heartbeat begin to pick at the thought of what they could, and probably would do, tomorrow.

Stefan was excited. "Don't you want to do all that touristy stuff?" he asked, leaning closer to her.

"Eh" Elena shrugged. "I think we can find plenty to do in our room, don't you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Stefan grabbed her hand, pulling her even closer. "I think so" he whispered. They sat close like that for a little while before he realized it had been a while since they ate. "Hungry?" he asked. Elena nodded. "We can order in."

"Thai?" she asked hopeful. He nodded before reaching for his phone and searching for the nearest Thai restaurant in the area.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena woke up as the sun was coming up. The rain had finally stopped. She lifted her head from Stefan's chest and smiled as she watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful with his messy hair all ruffled out of place. Elena grabbed her phone off of the nightstand. She had one new text message and figured it was from Jenna. Elena opened it and read, "Have you asked him about the bet yet? Tyler wants to know if he's won yet." Elena sat up, careful not to wake Stefan. She examined the phone number, but she didn't recognize it. She didn't have to. She knew who had sent it.

Elena's doubt and worry came flooding back to her. She remembered Stefan telling her that Katherine liked to play games. Why was he so adamant that Elena stay away from her though? So what if Katherine liked to play games? No one was forcing anyone to play along. "Stay away from her" Elena whispered softly, remembering those exact words that Stefan had said to her. He was almost desperate when he told her that.

Elena looked over at Stefan, continuing to watch him sleep. Was Katherine in on the bet too? Was it all just some sick joke? Whatever the case was, Elena felt like a lot of people knew something that she didn't. And she didn't like that.

Elena crawled out of bed carefully and made her way to the bathroom. She turned the dim light on and closed the door quietly. Splashing water on her face, she tried to calm her thoughts. She just needed to ask him. Stefan would be honest with her. But what if his honesty wasn't what she wanted to hear? What if he had made a bet to get her into bed? Elena shook her head, willing that option to go away. When, if, that happened, she would figure out how to deal with it.

Elena turned and pulled the shower curtain back, ready to start the water for her shower. A giant, brown furry spider made its presence known, scurrying across the bottom of the tub. Before she could stop herself, a high-pitched scream escaped from her as she stumbled backwards into the sink, quickly climbing on top of it.

Stefan was already pushing the door open, ready to kill whoever was attacking her. "Elena?" he asked, worry coloring his voice. He took in her frightened form, huddled on top of the small sink.

"Spider!" she screamed, pointing toward the bathtub. "It has fur. Stefan, it has actual fur!" she screamed in a disgusted tone.

Stefan grinned as soon as his heart rate slowed down. Leave it to Elena to scare the shit out of him first thing in the morning. Stefan peered over the tub, spotting the spider. "He's definitely got fur" Stefan said, another grin forming as he looked back at Elena.

"This isn't funny Stefan!" she said, following up with a few curse words. "Kill it!" she demanded.

Stefan laughed as he walked out of the bathroom, greatly confusing Elena. He came back moments later with the ice box and a magazine. He gently scooped the spider up and took it outside to let it go. When he walked back into the bathroom, Elena was still on the sink. "He's gone" Stefan said, placing both hands on the counter and leaning in to kiss her. Elena turned her head away from him, still upset that he would make fun of her. But that was not the main reason for her foul mood. "I'm sorry I made fun of you" he said, kissing her forehead. He noticed that something was really bothering her still. "Elena?" he asked, tipping her chin up so she would look at him. She looked like something was on her mind. "Hey, talk to me" he said, kissing her lips gently. He was well aware that she did not kiss him back.

Elena locked eyes with him and could see that he was searching hers for what was wrong. It was now or never, she thought. "Did you bet Tyler Lockwood that you could get me to sleep with you?" she asked.

**A/N: Cliffhanger? Yeah, I had to. Hopefully I can update soon …!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I must warn you. This update is a little shorter. But, I wanted to give you all something so as not to leave you hanging. As always, read and review. I would greatly appreciate it! I love reading your comments!**

Stefan gripped the sink a little tighter as he replayed her question in his head. He kept his expression neutral though. How did she find out? How long had she known? How was she going to react? He stuck with the easier question that was less self-incriminating. "Where did you hear that?" Stefan asked calmly.

"Does it matter?" Elena asked, tilting her head to the side a little as if she was trying to get a better view of his face. "Is it true, Stefan? Did you make a bet with Tyler saying that you could sleep with me?" she asked, her eyebrows narrowed as she searched his eyes. Stefan's eyes failed him as he backed away from the counter. A look of pure guilt flooded those green eyes that she used to be able to get lost in. And that's when Elena knew it was true. "Oh my God" she said in disbelief, forcing her eyes to look anywhere but at him. She was shocked, to say the least. She always thought there could be a possibility that it was true, but she never would have truly believed he could do something that degrading.

Stefan watched her carefully and could see her muscles tense. She was beginning to shut down. To not care. To just be angry. "Elena, I can explain" was what he heard come out of his mouth. It was all he could think of to say. Elena moved to get off of the sink, but Stefan stepped forward again, preventing her from moving at all. "Please …" he began, only to be cut off.

"Don't!" she said coldly, placing her hand up to stop him from saying anything more. Stefan found her eyes, threatening to spill tears. As much as she wanted him to think they were angry tears, he knew there was hurt mixed in there. "I'm so stupid" Elena said quietly, more to herself than to him. "All this time, I thought this was real. I thought you and I were real" she said, shaking her head.

Stefan grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him again. "This is real. Everything I feel for you is real" he told her in a desperate attempt to make her understand. How could she not feel how real they were?

Two tears spilled over her cheeks and she mentally cursed herself for showing him weakness. He would only use that against her later on. Like he always did. "I kept asking myself, why is he being so nice to me? Why does he care?" she said sadly, her anger slowly falling away as the reality of it all set in. He had used her. "I thought maybe you felt sorry for me. But your kindness? Everything you did for me? It was all part of your strategy to win that bet. To have sex with me" she said, pushing him away from her and jumping off of the sink. Her anger was making a comeback.

Stefan grabbed her arm as she tried to leave. "Elena, that's not true! If you would just let me explain!" he pleaded.

Elena yanked her arm away from him. "Explain?" she scoffed. "What is there to explain?" she asked him, her voice now rising. "How about you tell me what you won?" she asked bitterly. Stefan's eyes fell in defeat. Elena assumed that he had told Tyler already about sleeping with her. She was so angry and hurt. "You know what, you should thank me. I made it easy for you after all" she bit out before turning and storming out of the bathroom. Stefan winced at her words, remembering how vulnerable she was that night.

He remembered finding her outside in the pouring rain. He remembered how she broke down in front of him, telling him all the horrible things Uncle John had said to her. Most of all, he remembered how much she had needed him.

Stefan followed Elena out of the bathroom and saw her throwing her things back into her bag. She was still shaking her head. "I threw myself at you" she said in disbelief, looking up at him. "You said all the right things. You made me believe that you truly cared about me. So what do I do? I jump right into bed with you!" she said in disgust. "I let you use me. Because who cares about the little pathetic, sad girl who just lost her parents? She'd make an easy lay" she continued.

Stefan had had enough. It made him feel sick, the way she thought he looked at her like all he wanted from her was sex. "Stop it" he told her, his tone harsh. It surprised her some, so much so that she stopped throwing things into her bag. "I messed up. I'm an asshole. I know that. But I made that bet before your accident. I know it doesn't make it right" he told her. "But before the accident, I didn't care if you got hurt. I just wanted to shut Tyler up. I wasn't thinking about you when I agreed to the bet" he continued. Elena stood there silently. "But I swear to you Elena, I was not thinking about that stupid bet when we slept together. I stopped thinking about it when I …" he began, only to stop himself. He felt like his throat was tightening, just at the memory of it.

"When you what?" she asked, crossing her arms. Her eyes were burning into his as she waited for him to finish his answer.

Stefan let out a small breath that he had been holding. "When I was at the hospital and I thought I was going to lose you" he admitted. It physically hurt him to think back on that day. A day filled with so much loss and pain.

Elena laughed bitterly. "I don't believe you. I don't believe a word that's coming out of your lying mouth" she said, going back to throwing things in her bag. "You're still the same asshole you were before the accident."

Stefan grabbed her arms and pulled her to him, surprising her again. She tried to get away, but he only tightened his hold on her. He narrowed his eyes and looked straight into hers. "If I was only concerned about some stupid bet, why would I still be with you? Huh?" he asked her. "If I had gotten what I wanted, why would I be standing here, trying to convince you otherwise?"

It was true. He could have admitted that this whole time, he had been using her. Then he could laugh at her for how stupid she was for falling for it. But he hadn't. He let Elena think about it for a moment. "You're still with me because you need proof" she said without a trace of emotion left in her. "It was all too sudden, when I came on to you. You weren't prepared. So you're still with me, because you need … what? Photos? Video?" she asked. "How about I save myself from even more embarrassment and just call Tyler and tell him that we had sex?" she asked, reaching for her phone.

Stefan grabbed her before she was able to place the call. "I told Tyler the bet was off. He doesn't know we slept together and he's never going to know" he said. He'd never put Elena through that. She didn't need to be known as Stefan and Tyler's bet, going in to her Senior year of high school.

"How honorable of you" she said, still emotionless. Stefan sighed. She was not even going to try and listen to him.

"I don't want to fight with you, Elena" he said, releasing his tight hold on her. "I came here to spend time with you. I think we should just both cool off and then we can talk about it" he suggested. "Let's go and get ice cream or something" he said, grabbing his sweatshirt.

Elena looked at him in utter disgust. "I'm not going anywhere with you" she announced. "I'm going home" Elena said, zipping her bag up. "I … I can't be around you" she added.

"Elena, don't do this" he said, grabbing for her hands.

But she moved them out of his reach. "I don't trust you, Stefan" she said, wiping at her cheek. "I'm going to call Caroline to come and get me" Elena added, grabbing her phone and walking out of the room. Stefan let her go this time. She just needed time to cool off. She would be willing to talk to him later.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

It had been an hour since Elena had stormed out of the room. Stefan had checked them both out of the hotel, throwing all of their bags into his truck. He had tried calling her, but her phone went straight to voicemail. So, he set out on foot to search for her. It was a small beach town and she didn't have any money, seeing as how she left her purse. That worried him. She hadn't had breakfast yet, and what if she needed something from the drug store? Stefan chided himself for being so dramatic. Elena would come back to the hotel if she needed to. Or so he hoped. Elena tended to be stubborn as hell.

Stefan walked down the sidewalk, noticing that many of the shops were not even open yet. He checked all the diners with no luck. So he went down to the beach and walked up and down it, searching for her. Stefan would check his phone every minute or so, hoping to see a new message.

He had really messed up. And now, she would probably never talk to him again. But he was not going to let that happen. He refused to let something so stupid and meaningless break up their relationship. She would come around and she would forgive him.

But the more hours that passed, the more he began to doubt that she would ever forgive him. And the more worried he got. "Elena, please just call me back and let me know that you're okay" he pleaded to her voicemail. It had been nearly four hours and he was going crazy with worry. What if something happened to her? What if someone grabbed her? There was no way she could have avoided him this whole time. It was too small of an area.

Stefan stopped and sat down on a bench to take a break. More and more people were coming out to enjoy the sun which made him grumble. That just meant more people to sort through in order to find Elena. Stefan stood up on the bench to get a better view. He squinted his eyes and felt his heart sink a little in his chest when he saw Caroline getting out of her car. Elena really had called her.

Stefan began running toward her car. Elena was walking out of a nearby shop. When Elena saw Stefan coming towards her and Caroline, she quickened her pace. "Open the door Caroline" Elena told her. Caroline looked at her, completely frustrated. "Open the door!" Elena demanded.

"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" Caroline asked, clicking the unlock button on her key. She was not happy about having to drive four hours to get her best friend from the coast, especially when her best friend was not talking about why she had called.

Elena opened the door and was about to get in to lock it when Stefan grabbed her. "Let go of me!" she demanded as she felt herself being pulled away from the car. "Get your hands off of me!" she yelled.

Stefan held her tight, right up against him. He was angry, and she could tell. "I was worried sick about you!" he yelled back at her. "Couldn't you have picked up your phone and told me that you were okay?" Stefan saw the terrified look in her eyes and could feel her heartbeat quicken. He didn't mean to scare her. "I'm sorry, Elena" he said, slowly letting her go.

Caroline looked between the two, her mouth gaping open. "What's going on?" she asked.

Elena slowly backed away from Stefan. "I'll tell you in the car" Elena said, avoiding eye-contact with Stefan. Caroline simply nodded, catching Elena's warning tone. "I want my bags" Elena said, still avoiding Stefan's eyes.

Stefan simply nodded in defeat. He really was an ass. He had managed to lose her trust and scare her all in the same day. "I'll get them for you" he said, slowly turning to go back to his truck. Elena and Caroline got in the car and waited. When Stefan came back with all three bags and a purse, he put the bags in the trunk and handed Elena her purse through the window. "Elena, please don't …" he began, only to be cut off when she rolled up the window. She stared straight ahead.

As the car pulled away, Stefan remained where he was. He felt like his heart had been torn out and stomped on. And he only had himself to blame.

**A/N: So? What should Stefan do? Go after Elena and prove himself to her? Or … sleep with Katherine? I think I need to bring Damon back now. He's going to love this new rift between Stefan and Elena …**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Finally, I have an update! I rewrote this chapter a few times after debating on where to go with Stefan and Elena. Thank you for all of your reviews and feedback. I definitely take what you have to say into consideration. You are, after all, the ones reading ;) **

"So, how long are you going to avoid him?" Bonnie asked, holding her coffee cup protectively in her hands. She had heard the news about what Stefan had done as soon as Elena had returned home from the coast. Bonnie had to admit, she was a little disappointed about it all. She had seen how happy Elena was with Stefan.

Elena picked up her own coffee cup and took a sip. She sat it back down on her table before answering. "Until I feel like I have something to say" Elena answered. "Right now, all I want to do is slap him and call him a bunch of not so nice words." Bonnie gave her a soft smile, confusing Elena. "What?" Elena asked.

"Why don't you just tell him how hurt you are instead of putting up this angry front" Bonnie told her.

"Because I'm still mad as hell" Elena replied. The more she thought about what he did, the angrier she got.

Bonnie sighed. "Based on the 50 million times he's called you, the 50 billion text messages he's sent, and the zillion times he's stopped by to talk to you, I think it's safe to say that he's sorry" Bonnie added, taking another drink. "Maybe it's time to forgive and forget."

Elena and Bonnie heard the front door shut. "Are you insane?" Caroline asked, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head as she juggled a box of muffins in her other arm. "She's going to get revenge" she added, flashing a devilish smile towards Elena. "Isn't that right?" she asked. Caroline had already started to plot. Perhaps she would start a rumor about him, or simply walk up to him and give him a good right hook to the jaw. Either would work. Both would be better.

"She's not going to get revenge on him Caroline" Bonnie disagreed. The blonde stared at Bonnie carefully. Bonnie threw her hands up in frustration. "Look, Elena. You said he made the bet before your accident. Do you really think all his efforts of being this perfect boyfriend are to get you into bed?" Bonnie questioned.

"Of course they are!" Caroline said, smacking her hand on the tabletop. "He's been pretending all along! Come on. A romantic getaway to the beach for the weekend? Alone? Does that not have the bet written all over it?" Caroline asked, shooting a pointed look at Bonnie.

As the two girls continued to argue as if Elena wasn't there, she decided to speak up. "I slept with him" she said quietly.

Bonnie and Caroline immediately ceased their arguing and looked at Elena, jaws dropped. "You what?" Caroline asked. Elena looked down at her lap, avoiding their questioning eyes. "When? Where? How? Why?" Caroline continued.

"It was about two weeks after my accident. I got in this fight with Uncle John and I was upset and I just … I just wanted to feel something other than hurt and fear and I ended up at his house. We talked and then, I told him I wanted him to make me forget about all the bad things that had recently happened. I initiated it and then it happened" she said, taking a much needed breath.

Caroline blinked. "So let me get this straight" she said. "He still slept with you, all the while knowing that he would win the bet" she said. "He didn't care how he got you into bed. You practically won the bet for him! What an ass!" she shouted.

"Wait wait wait" Bonnie said, placing her hand on the table. "You said he made the bet before the accident and you slept with him two weeks after the accident" she said, clarifying. Elena nodded. "So if he already won the bet, why does he still want to be with you?" Bonnie questioned.

"For the sex, duh!" Caroline said, rolling her eyes.

Bonnie glared at her. She clearly was rooting for Stefan. "There is no way that Stefan would go to all this trouble to sleep with you again, Elena" she said. Elena raised her eyebrows. "He's trying to be the perfect boyfriend. Taking you out on dates, inviting you over for movie night, taking you on weekend getaways" she reminded. Caroline rolled her eyes again. "All of that stuff is a lot of work. If he just wanted sex, there are other girls who would throw themselves at him and he wouldn't have to do a thing" she explained. Elena considered what Bonnie said. "Elena, let's face it. You can be a little demanding, high maintenance, and selfish even. No guy would put up with that just to sleep with you."

"I still say he's a lying ass" Caroline piped in. Even though she was convinced that Stefan and Elena would end up together, she was still fired up about this bet.

"I think he really cares about you and he's sorry for what he did" Bonnie said, standing up. She could tell that Elena was seriously thinking over what she had just said. "Just talk to him, Elena" she said, grabbing her purse and walking towards the door to leave.

"I still say he's a lying ass" Caroline repeated with a shrug. Elena smiled at her. Caroline was always that friend that would be on your side, no matter what. But Bonnie did have a point. And maybe it was time to talk to Stefan.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena had waited a couple of days before deciding to actually call Stefan. It was really hard to be vague with Jenna who was questioning her to death. Elena had simply told her that she and Stefan were taking a break. Jenna didn't buy that for a second and Elena figured it was only a matter of time before Jenna went to Stefan for answers. Elena needed to talk to Stefan before that happened.

Elena grabbed her phone and sat down on her bed, opening up her messages. She quickly added Stefan's number and typed a simple message telling him to meet her at the lake house that afternoon, at 1:30 PM. It took about three minutes for Stefan to reply back that he could meet her at 4:00 PM. Elena scrunched up her face some. He was trying to call the shots now. Elena replied back, telling him if he was not there by 3:00 PM, she would leave. Stefan simply typed back that he would be there.

Elena tossed her phone aside, trying to decide what she would say to him. She definitely wanted to discuss the bet with him. However, she did not want to discuss where it left them. As far as she was concerned, there was no "them" anymore.

A few minutes passed by and she found herself lying on her bed, thinking about why Stefan couldn't meet her until later. If he was so desperate to talk to her, then why did he need to change the time she suggested? Maybe he was seeing someone else. It had been a week. He could have moved on. She racked her brain for who it could be. Amy from their English class? She always flirted with him. There was Sarah, from French class. Elena could count a lot of times when Stefan had been talking with her. But those two were always at all of the parties while Stefan wasn't.

There was still Katherine, though. It was no secret that she wanted him. She was beautiful and she was bold. Stefan may have claimed to hate her, but Elena had her doubts. He was probably with her right now. He was probably sleeping with Katherine. Elena swallowed the lump in her throat. It took all of her strength not to text him back and tell him to forget about meeting her. But she didn't. She would face him.

**XXXXXXXXX**

It was five minutes until three. Elena sat at the kitchen table at the lake house, her back to the entrance. She had arrived an hour early, knowing it would take her that long to actually talk herself into going into the house. She hadn't looked around; she just went straight for the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. There was so much of her parent's stuff that needed sorting out, but she could not think about that right now. It was too soon.

So, Elena propped herself on the kitchen stool at the table and waited for Stefan to arrive. If he could drag himself out of bed with Katherine, she thought. Elena ran her finger over the top of the glass, trying to calm her nerves. She took a deep breath and then another.

The front door opened and then closed. Stefan walked slowly into the house, stopping to look around and decide where she might be. A light from the kitchen caught his attention and he made his way over. Stefan stopped at the entrance, staring at her back. Elena stopped playing with her glass. Her shoulders tensed as she sat up straighter. "Are you sleeping with her?" Elena asked with no emotion present. She needed to know.

Stefan's shoulders sagged a bit. He was exhausted. "I thought you asked me here to talk? I'm not looking to fight" he said, sensing that Elena was trying to pick one with him.

Elena sensed his warning tone. But he still hadn't answered her question. "Seeing as how you had to push our meeting back by a couple of hours, I just assumed you were busy with Katherine" Elena said, finally spinning the stool so she could face him. Her eyebrows furrowed when she caught sight of him. He was dressed in perfectly pressed dress pants, a light green dress shirt, and a matching black jacket. His hands were tucked into his pockets. His eyes were dark and he looked drained of life. "Why are you dressed like that?" she asked, trying her best to hide her curiosity.

Stefan hung his head low for a minute before looking back up at her. "Today's the anniversary of my parent's death" he spoke confidently, yet quietly. "There was a small ceremony earlier this afternoon. Damon and a few other people who knew my parents" he added. He watched Elena's accusing expression soften as she realized what the date was. "That's why I couldn't meet you earlier" he clarified.

Exactly two minutes passed before she said anything. "I forgot" Elena said quietly, looking down at her floor. How could she have forgotten? She always remembered. Every year, she went to the cemetery and placed flowers on their graves.

Stefan could see the guilt washing over her and decided the conversation needed to refocus on them. He knew what she wanted to hear. The details of the bet. Stefan stepped into the kitchen and pulled a stool over to sit in front of her. Elena felt herself tense up once again, having him that close. Stefan clasped his hands together and took a deep breath. "Caroline had come over and started talking to Tyler and I at the Lockwood party" he began. "She kept saying how I couldn't keep my eyes off of you, that I was sexually attracted to you, and that we would eventually hook up and be together. I thought she was crazy. But then Tyler started in when she left, asking if I could "get you" and he bet I couldn't" Stefan sighed.

Elena glanced up at him every once in a while, but for the most part, she focused on her hands in her lap. "He wouldn't back off. He kept saying that I could never get you to sleep with me" he said, sneaking a glance at Elena to read her expression. She remained expressionless though. "I agreed to the bet, I think mostly because I wanted to shut him up. Maybe I wanted to prove something too, I don't really know" he said honestly. "Whatever my reasons were, it was stupid of me to agree to that bet. And when I found out you were in the hospital, I wasn't even thinking about the bet anymore. The last time I thought about it was before we went to the coast. I ran into Tyler and told him the bet was off."

Elena forced her eyes to look up at him. "If it was just some stupid bet, why didn't you just tell me about it?" she asked.

Stefan smiled sadly. "I didn't want you to hate me" he told her. "Everything was going so well. You were happy. I was happy …" he trailed off.

"I still deserved to know" Elena cut in. Stefan nodded. "Do you know how stupid I felt, having Katherine taunt me about it, all the while, you kept quiet?" she asked, a hint of anger rising in her voice.

"Katherine shouldn't have done what she did, but it was my fault. If I had just been honest with you …" he said. Elena crossed her arms, leaning back in her stool. She was keeping him at a distance and he didn't like it. Stefan grabbed her hands, causing her body to move forward towards him. "But I swear to you Elena. I'm not trying to sleep with you to get proof that I won that bet. I did not sleep with you to win that bet in the first place" he said, hoping that she believed him. "You believe me, don't you?" he asked. Stefan rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand.

Elena shook her head. "I don't know what to believe anymore, Stefan" she said, standing and walking around to the other side of the table. She stared out the window, out at the lake.

An uneasy silence fell between them and he couldn't stand it. "I saw your dad in the hospital, before they took him into surgery" Stefan said. Elena felt her breath catch in her throat. Stefan had been the last one out of her friends and family to see her father alive. "He told me that I had to take care of you. He made me promise" Stefan told her. "And I've kept that promise, Elena. All I've tried to do since you woke up in the hospital is take care of you" he said sadly. Elena felt tears prick at the back of her eyes, threatening to spill. "I know I've failed, Elena. But I can make it right. I have to make it right" he pleaded quietly. He stood, slowly walking up behind Elena. She had her eyes closed, taking in what he had just told her. The accident, the death of her parents. It was all still raw and painful. It suddenly made sense though, why Stefan had been so concerned for her. He idolized her father and if her father had asked Stefan for any favor, she knew Stefan would do it without a second thought.

Stefan, after careful consideration, wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He buried his face in her hair. Elena's tears fell silently down her cheeks and she was pretty sure he was crying too.

Elena let herself breath out, telling herself not to give in to him. But, as angry as she was with him, he was grieving on this day, having buried his parents seven years earlier. She felt his lips on her neck, his tears leaving a wet trail down her shoulders. "I can't lose you too" he whispered.

His breath caught roughly in his throat, when she pulled away from him, stepping away from his arms so she could face him. Elena stared into his sad green eyes, seeing fear and regret as well. Her heart hurt, both because of what he had done and because of how he was feeling. Was forgiveness a sign of weakness? "Stefan, I can't" she said slowly, looking away from him.

**A/N: My next update will include Damon and Katherine. Be forewarned! **


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I am going to get the story moving from this point on. I do not want to drag it out too much longer because there are a few more stories I would like to begin writing, if you all are interested, that is! I am not sure how many more chapters I have planned for this story just yet.**

**So as not to be completely evil, I did give you all something in this chapter that I hope you will like. So, please read and review. Thank you!**

"Can't?" Stefan asked quietly, almost hoping that he did not hear her correctly. He so desperately needed to hold her and it hurt like hell that she was standing even just a foot away from him. "Elena" he said vulnerably, reaching for her.

Elena finally made herself look at him once again, but she moved away from his reach, driving the knife in deeper. "I'm sorry about today, Stefan. I know how much you love and miss your parents" Elena said, blinking back fresh tears as she thought about his parents. "But I don't think we're ready for a relationship. I just … I can't be with you right now, Stefan" she said, feeling her heart physically hurt as she said the words. She had jumped into a relationship too soon. They went from hating each other to one date and being in a relationship. It was too much, too fast. "I'm sorry" she said, grabbing her keys off of the counter and walking out.

Stefan remained still until he heard the front door close. Then, slowly, he sat down at the table and rested his head on the cool surface. She had just broken up with him. He had relived the death of his parents and lost the girl he loved, all in the same day.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Katherine walked with a little more bounce in her step the following day as she took a stroll through the park. By this point, the whole town knew that Stefan and Elena were no longer a couple. Elena had called Bonnie in tears, and Bonnie had called Caroline who talked to Jenna who then told Jeremy to insure he would be extra nice to his sister. How everyone else found out was not important. The important fact of the matter was that Stefan and Elena were over. Katherine smiled at the thought.

She smiled wider when she saw Damon sitting on a bench just up ahead with his arms spread out on the back of the bench. His eyes were closed and he was enjoying the sun. "Well well" Katherine said, stopping in front of him. "What brings you to the park?" she asked, twisting a piece of hair around her finger.

Damon kept his eyes closed. "I thought the park would be a slut-free zone. Apparently I was wrong" he said, opening his eyes to see her disapproving glare.

"Did you hear about Stefan and Elena?" she asked, choosing to ignore his comment.

"That I did" he said smugly. Damon would not deny that he was glowing inside due to his younger brother's recent breakup. What was even better was the fact that Stefan was the screw up, having made the bet.

Katherine sat down on the bench and slid next to him. "Is he all sad and weepy?" she asked, sticking out her bottom lip in an attempt to be sad.

Damon smirked. "Stefan is acting like the world has come to an end. He won't eat. He doesn't sleep. And I can smell him from the other end of the house, so, he hasn't showered either" Damon reported.

"So he's heartbroken and vulnerable" Katherine said aloud. "Perfect" she said, turning her head to look at Damon and smiling at him. Damon glared. "Don't be like that. You and I were never meant to be, Damon. But, that doesn't mean I don't want you to stick around for a rainy day" she said, patting his cheek softly. She stood and brushed off the back of her jeans. "Lovely chatting with you" she smiled one last time before throwing her long hair over her shoulder and strutting off.

Damon watched her go. He had fallen hard for that girl and now, he couldn't figure out why. It had to have been her charm and good looks. Because her personality was deceiving. Damon checked his watch. He had an agenda to stick to. He took a deep breath and then let it out before standing and walking in the opposite direction as Katherine.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena quickly ran down the stairs after hearing the doorbell. Her aunt was at the library working on a paper and Jeremy was out with friends. So Elena was left to get the door. As soon as she swung it open, she got an uneasy feeling. "Hello, Elena" Damon said. He was leaning against the doorway and was smiling from ear to ear. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time?" he asked.

Elena shook her head no. "Come on in" she said against her better judgment. Damon wasted no time in coming inside. "Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea?" she asked him.

"No thank you" he said, following her into the kitchen. Elena busied herself with getting a glass of water. He could tell that she was uneasy with his presence. "I just came by to apologize" he said.

Elena turned around to look at him. "For what?" she asked, taking a sip of her water.

"For my brother" he said, looking away from her for a moment for added effect and then looking back. "That was a very selfish, immature thing of him to do. Making that bet" he added.

Elena nodded, not quite sure what to say to that. A moment of silence fell between them before she said anything. "How is he?" she asked cautiously. The last time she had seen him, almost a week ago when she had broken up with him, was still fresh in her mind. That look he had, like she had drove her hand into his chest and pulled his beating heart right out, killed her. But, it was the right thing to do. She couldn't be with someone who treated her like an item, which is exactly what he had done when he made that bet with Tyler.

Damon leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. "Stefan is … doing great, actually" Damon said, completely lying to her but that really didn't matter to him. "He's been going out with friends and he's been talking about a camping trip with some of them" Damon shrugged. "I'm really impressed that he's moving on this well" he said casually.

Elena nodded her head once again, though she felt like she had just been punched in the stomach. He was moving forward, like nothing ever happened? Good. It should have been a good thing. But Elena still felt a little angry with him. She still was upset by it. She was still remaining hulled up in her room, not wanting to go out with her friends. "I'm glad" Elena shrugged, thought Damon could tell it was eating away at her.

"I don't think you are" Damon said suddenly. Elena's eyes flashed his way to see him looking at her like he did not believe her. "I'd be upset too" he told her.

"I'm not upset. Surprised maybe, but I'm not upset. He's free to do whatever he wants" she stated. "He can meet someone else and make more bets with Tyler! He can treat them the same way he treated me!" she said, beginning to get worked up. She brushed a stray tear off of her cheek and lowered her head. Every night since she had found out about the bet, she would lay awake and question why he did it. Would he have made the bet if it were someone else?

"I'm sorry" he spoke softly. "Upsetting you was not my intention" he said, walking towards her. Damon tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "He can be a real selfish ass sometimes" Damon said. "It's best just to not think about him. Because he's not thinking about you" he explained. Elena hung onto his words and Damon knew he was influencing her. "I tell you what. Why don't you let me take you to lunch?" he asked. "We haven't spent any time together lately."

Elena was about ready to tell him no when she remembered what Damon had said about Stefan. Why should she stay locked away in the house when Stefan was out with him friends, having a good time? "I would like that" Elena agreed, forcing a small smile. "I'll go get my purse" she said, stepping around him and leaving the kitchen.

Damon smiled to himself. There was just one more secret that Stefan was keeping from Elena. And in good time, Damon was going to make sure Elena would find out.

It only took seconds for all eyes to land on Damon and Elena as they entered the Grill. Couples stopped their conversations. Singles became uninterested in their phones. Damon was only with a girl for one reason and no one thought Elena was that type of girl. But, there she was, walking side by side with Damon Salvatore. As soon as they sat down across from each other, the whispering began. Elena could only imagine what they were saying.

Elena nervously flipped through a menu, even though she already knew what she wanted. "Well, we're sure the talk of the afternoon" Damon said, leaning forward across the table. "Who knew we were so interesting" he smiled.

Elena smiled as well, enjoying the fact that he was trying to make her more comfortable. "There always has to be something to talk about in a small town" Elena added.

Damon nodded before sitting back in his seat. "So, what will it be today, Miss Gilbert?" he asked, scanning his own menu. "Will today finally be the day that you try the battered shrimp with the cocktail sauce?" he smirked.

Elena dropped her menu and grinned at him. She hated seafood and he had given her a hard time about it for as long as she could remember. "Face it Damon. I'm never going to order it. You are fighting a losing battle if you think otherwise" she informed.

"You are stubborn as hell" he said, shaking his head.

Matt came around to their table, a surprised yet suspicious look on his face. "Can I get you guy's drinks?" he asked, eyeing Elena.

"Iced tea for me" Damon said, completely enjoying the worried look that Matt now sported across his face. It was only a matter of time before he went calling Stefan.

"Same for me" Elena said quietly after being under Matt's scrutinizing stare. Matt nodded and walked away. "Well that was awkward" she sighed.

"What, him staring at you?" Damon asked, tilting his head to the side a little. "I don't blame him. You are very beautiful" he added, letting a small smile compliment his lively blue eyes. Elena felt herself blush at the compliment. Damon reached across the table and grabbed her hand. She stared at their hands for a minute before looking back up at him. "I know we've never been really close" he said seriously. "But I've known you since you were born and that means something to me. So, if you ever need anything Elena, and I mean anything, be sure to let me know" he continued, giving her hand a small squeeze.

Elena felt herself smile, even though it reminded her of something. Rather, someone. "That's what Stefan told me, you know, before all of this …" she trailed off, focusing back on their interlocked hands.

"Stefan just didn't realize what he had in front of him" Damon said, charming her more and more by the second. Elena met his eyes again, but just as she was about the say something, Matt arrived with their drinks. "Thank you" Damon said, obnoxiously smiling at Matt who now looked like he wanted to punch him.

Matt left them alone once again and headed for the back. He dug out his cell phone and dialed Stefan. Stefan had not picked up the other twenty times he had called, so he was not surprised when Stefan did not pick up this time either. Matt left a text message saying that Damon was having lunch at the Grill with Elena and asked what the hell was going on. He put his phone away and went back out to clear more tables. He avoided Damon and Elena as much as possible.

Damon and Elena had practically finished their lunch when Damon grabbed something out of his pocket. "So" he said, resting his hands on the table. Elena eyed the envelope he was holding. "Your birthday is coming up" he mentioned.

"Not for a few more months" Elena reminded.

Damon smiled. "Right. Well, these can't wait a few more months" he said, handing her the envelope. Elena opened it cautiously. Damon was rather proud of himself to be honest.

Elena gasped when she saw what was inside. "Front row tickets to Taylor Swift's concert next week?" she asked in disbelief. Damon nodded to confirm. "How did you get these? These sold out months ago" she said, trying to keep her excitement down.

"I know a guy who knew a guy" Damon shrugged, pretending like it was no big deal at all when really, he spent a lot of time and energy to get those tickets. "Take Bonnie or Caroline" he suggested.

Elena was beaming as she looked at the tickets. "Wait, you mean you're not going with me?" she laughed.

"One Taylor song is my limit. You couldn't pay me to sit through hours of songs" he told her. Elena rolled her eyes. "You go, have fun with a friend" he said.

"Damon, these are amazing. Thank you, really" she told him. She had been wanting to see Taylor in concert for a few years now but never got around to going.

"You're welcome, Elena" he said. She looked genuinely happy. He was almost guilty that this had an ulterior motive. Almost, but not quite. He had to buy her love and quickly.

From the time the check came to the moment they walked out of the Grill, Damon was pretty sure everything had gone perfectly. They both laughed and Elena was smiling nonstop. So, of course it had to be ruined.

Elena stopped suddenly when she saw Stefan crossing the street and walking towards them. He looked like hell, but he had managed to dress in jeans and a sweatshirt. There were dark circles under his eyes that told her he hadn't been sleeping. She found that kind of odd, seeing as how Damon told her he was doing fine. "Stefan, what a lovely surprise" Damon said as Stefan shoved past him to get to Elena.

"Don't get in that car with him" Stefan ordered. Elena's mouth gaped open slightly at the ridiculousness of the situation. "You shouldn't be around him" he added.

Damon chuckled, but Elena took the defense. "Excuse me? Who are you to tell me who I should and shouldn't hang around with?" she asked angrily. "The last time I checked, we were no longer dating" she reminded.

"Elena, please" he begged. "His intentions are no good" he told her.

"If I may, I'm not planning on getting her into bed to win a bet, so, I'd say my intentions are better than yours were" Damon piped in with a smirk.

Elena saw Stefan's eyes go dark before he whipped around to face his brother. "You and I both know you're intentions are far worse than mine ever were" Stefan growled.

"Stop it, Stefan" Elena said, completely fed up with his behavior. "I enjoyed my time with Damon this afternoon and I refuse to let you ruin it. So, if you'll excuse us, we're leaving" she stated, moving past Stefan. Stefan grabbed her arm to stop her. "Let go of me!" she demanded.

Elena yanked her arm away from Stefan and backed away from him. Stefan moved to grab her again, but Damon stepped in between them, taking a protective stance. "I wouldn't" Damon warned. "She wants you to leave her alone."

Stefan's icy glare bored into Damon's eyes. "I won't let you do this to her" Stefan promised.

Damon grinned. "I was only having lunch with an old friend. I do believe that is allowed" he told Stefan, feigning innocence. "So if you will excuse us, I am going to get her home safely" Damon added. "Come on Elena" Damon said, holding out his hand and grabbing hers. Damon's warning eyes prevented Stefan from taking any further action.

Elena snuck a glance at Stefan as she walked by. He looked defeated, in every way possible. Damon opened the car door for Elena and she got in. Looking one last time at Stefan, she focused her eyes forward for the rest of the drive back to her house.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stefan lay in his bed, attempting to sleep but not being able to. The door downstairs had opened and closed an hour ago, suggesting that Damon had hung out with Elena at her house before he came home. Stefan had heard Damon's footsteps walk past his door as he went to his own room. But it had been an hour since he had heard anything more.

After his run-in with Damon and Elena at the Grill, Stefan had come straight home and gotten in to bed. But his active thoughts prevented him from sleeping. His every thought involved Elena. He tossed and turned, willing his thoughts to quiet down so he could sleep. But after fighting it for so long, Stefan closed his eyes, thinking about his favorite memory of her. Of them.

_They hadn't really been aware of what time it was. Early afternoon they assumed as the house was still quiet and Jenna and Jeremy had not come home yet. Stefan was lying on Elena's bed and Elena was lazily lyying on top of him, her finger tracing his upper arm. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow" she had said absentmindedly, continuing to trace circles. She felt his hand tighten on her waist. She popped her head up off of his chest to see his worried look. Elena smiled softly. "Just a checkup, to make sure I'm still healing" she told him, placing her finger on his bottom lip and pulling on it softly. She leaned forward and captured his lips gently, enjoying the relaxed mood that they had been in the last few hours._

_Stefan had surprised her, gripping her hips and flipping them over without ever breaking that kiss. Elena felt her heartbeat increase as she felt the weight of him on top of her. Her skin tingled when his fingers played with the hem of her shirt. His kisses were hungry and his hands were eager, but he never let it go any further, respecting her wishes to wait before they had sex again. He was perfectly happy kissing her, being this close to her._

_Stefan's lips left hers and focused on her neck, receiving an approving sigh from Elena. "I love it when you kiss me there" she mumbled incoherently, though he understood her. _

_Stefan smiled as he worked his way up to her ear, biting on the bottom of it softly and earning a small gasp from her. He felt her body arch into his and he was pretty sure she was going to slowly torture him to death. But it would be worth it; the day she finally trusted in him enough to be with him again in the closest way possible made his heart skip. "I think you love that too" he whispered, slowly moving his hands under her shirt to touch nothing but skin._

_He stopped kissing her, deciding to watch her instead. Her eyes were closed, her lips were parted slightly, and her breathing had increased. Stefan smiled proudly, knowing he could make her this weak. "Stefan" she had whined, opening her eyes to look up into his eyes. Clearly she had other ideas about what he could be doing right now and none of those included staring at her._

_Stefan moved a piece of hair out of her face. "You are so beautiful" he said quietly, tilting his head slightly to study her. Elena ducked her head into his shoulder, hating to be his focus of attention after such a compliment. Stefan laughed at her response. "Elena" he whispered. _

_She turned her head slightly so that she could look up at him. "You make me feel like I am the only girl in the world sometimes" she smiled shyly._

_Stefan returned her smile, grabbing her hands in his as he looked into her eyes. "You're the only girl in my world" he told her honestly, leaning back down to kiss her once again._

Stefan opened his eyes and sighed. How could he have screwed up something so amazing? He mentally kicked himself for the millionth time. Who cares if he wasn't with her at the time he made the bet. He should have never done something like that to any woman, let alone Elena. As much as he wanted Elena back, and he vowed he would get her back, he had a problem needing his immediate attention. Damon.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I re-wrote this chapter about five times, but I think I finally like it! Thank you for your reviews last time. Damon really is a piece of work sometimes, huh? Katherine too, I suppose.**

**I hope you all enjoyed the Season 3 premiere of The Vampire Diaries. I had the pleasure of watching that last scene being filmed. It was just as hard to watch Paul that night as it was to watch Stefan on T.V. Fantastic actor and a fantastic character. I will always love Stefan!**

"Lunch is served" Caroline said, placing a gallon tub of chocolate ice cream in front of Elena and setting two spoons next to it. Elena looked at the tub of ice cream and then back up at Caroline with a peculiar look. "What? Chocolate fixes everything" Caroline shrugged, sitting down next to Elena and picking up her spoon. Elena sighed, but she smiled as she picked up her spoon too. "So, have you talked to Stefan lately?" Caroline asked.

Elena shook her head. "Not since he showed up at the Grill and accused Damon of bad intentions" Elena said, taking a bite of ice cream.

"Okay, I know we're mad at Stefan and all, but Damon isn't exactly a great guy either. Maybe Stefan's right about Damon. Maybe you should stay away from him" Caroline told her.

"Well, that's my decision, if I want to see Damon or not" Elena pointed out. "I mean, I don't like him like him, but it's kind of nice to spend time with him. I think he's lonely." He was too old to hang out with Elena and her friends. Too young to spend time with the parents, even though he was essentially a parental figure to Stefan.

"Oh come on Mother Teresa!" Caroline exclaimed. "The guy can't be lonely with how many women he sleeps with!" she exclaimed. "Do you want to be one of _those_ girls?" she asked.

"That's totally his business" Elena reminded. "And for some reason, I don't think that's what his intentions are for me. Stefan may think so, but I really don't. I had such a great time at lunch with him the other day. And …" she trailed off, reaching into her purse. "He got me these, for my birthday" Elena said, flashing her Taylor Swift tickets in front of Caroline.

Caroline's eyes bugged out. "How did he get these?" she asked, snatching the tickets out of Elena's hands. Elena shrugged. "You're totally taking me, right?" she asked excitedly.

Elena smiled. "Of course I am" she said. Caroline was a huge Taylor Swift fan. The universe would not be right if Elena took someone else.

Caroline threw her arms around Elena, hugging her tight. "You're the best!" she shrieked. Elena hugged her back. "I still think Damon is an ass" she added, not wanting Elena to think she worshiped the guy now just because he had scored tickets. Elena rolled her eyes.

The doorbell began to ring and Caroline pulled away from Elena. "I had better get that" she said, standing up and walking out of the living room to answer the door. As soon as Caroline opened the door, she stopped, a puzzling look on her face. "Stefan" she said in acknowledgement.

"I need to speak with Elena" he said, not wasting time with hellos. "Please, I only need a few minutes" he told her. Elena stood from the couch upon hearing him and walked closer so she could hear better, but she remained hidden.

Caroline shook her head. "I'm sorry Stefan, but she doesn't want to talk to you" she said, tightening her grip on the door, ready to close it. "You should go" she said, giving Stefan no sign that she was going to be friendly to him. He had hurt her best friend, after all. Caroline moved to close the door, but Stefan put his hand up to stop the door.

"I know she hates me. I know you hate me. But I need to talk to her" he said desperately. "I regret what I did. It was stupid and selfish and …" he began, but Caroline cut him off.

"Stop, Stefan" she said. "Like I told you, Elena does not want to talk to you" Caroline said again. "I don't either, frankly, because I think you are an ass like your brother" she said. Stefan groaned at both the mention of Damon and Caroline's protectiveness. Stefan gave up and turned to walk away. He'd have to find Elena at another time. "But, I do want know something" she said, causing Stefan to stop.

"What, Caroline?" he asked, clearly annoyed as he walked back to the door.

"If the accident hadn't happened. If Elena's parents hadn't died and Elena hadn't almost lost her life, what would have happened if you had still made the bet? What would have been the outcome?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Stefan looked at Caroline without even blinking. "The outcome would have been the same" Stefan stated. Elena leaned her head back against the wall, waiting for his answer. "I would have still realized that I love her" he said, feeling relieved that he could tell Caroline that. "Make sure she knows that" he said, knowing that she probably heard him. Knowing Elena, she was probably nearby, listening in.

Caroline remained speechless as she watched him walk away. Once he was out of sight, Caroline turned around to see Elena just as speechless. "Oh. My God" Caroline said, looking at Elena in disbelief. "He is totally in love with you" she said, still in shock.

Elena caught herself marveling in the thought of someone, Stefan, loving her. It should have been a life-changing moment for her, but instead, all she could think about was how he had hurt her. Yes, hurt her. Elena had slowly begun to see what Bonnie saw. Elena had used her anger to cover up how she really felt. She trusted Stefan, believed that he would take care of her and be there for her. And all along, he was keeping something from her, something that had hurt her feelings. It was degrading to make a bet about something that she felt was so personal and intimate. Something she would have liked to have been between Stefan and her only.

Elena shook her head slowly, lowering her head so her long brown hair hid her face. "It doesn't matter, Care" she said sadly.

"It totally matters, Elena" Caroline replied. "You have to forgive him" she added. "I take back all the bad words I called him." Elena cracked a smile at this. Caroline had called Stefan every bad word possible. "He loves you, Elena. And believe me, that's not something that's easy to do" Caroline said, smiling lightly.

"Hey!" Elena said defensively. "I am lovable" she said.

"I didn't say you weren't lovable. I said you weren't easily lovable" Caroline corrected, walking toward her friend. "I just think he deserves a second chance. He looks down right miserable."

"Yeah" Elena scoffed. "He's been going out with friends a lot lately" Elena stated, following Caroline back to the couch.

"Friends? Which ones? Because Tyler told me Stefan isn't speaking to him and Matt told me Stefan has been holed up in his room since the two of you broke up" Caroline told her. "Where did you hear he is going out a lot?" she asked.

Elena looked down at her hands. "Well, Damon told me Stefan was doing just fine and was always out with friends" Elena replied.

"Damon, huh?" Caroline asked. Elena nodded. "Well, look who's the liar now …" Caroline trailed off, taking another bite of ice cream. Elena picked up her spoon, but did not eat. She was too busy focusing on what Caroline had just said. Was Damon lying?

**XXXXXXXXXX**

_At sixteen, Elena had gotten her first taste of being hit on by a guy who had a little too much to drink. She couldn't find Caroline or Bonnie, and the guy was relentless. "Let's go upstairs" he'd tell her. "We can go for a walk, get to know each other" he had grinned, nearly spilling his beer all over himself as he tried to take another drink. Elena had told him to get lost, but that only turned him on more. He liked a good chase. _

_Elena moved away from this guy for the tenth time that evening, going in search of her friends. But the guy was following her, grabbing at her waist to try and entice her to dance or taking her hands and attempting to lead her off somewhere else. It had annoyed Elena at first, but as the night continued, she became worried. More and more people were leaving the party and Caroline and Bonnie were still nowhere to be found. "Come on, Babe" he had said to her, finding her once again. "I'll show you a real good time" he promised, taking her hand and holding it tightly._

_Elena yanked her hand out of his grip. "Leave me alone" she glared, walking off yet again. But true to this creep's nature, he followed her. Elena walked out of the house and scanned the lawn. A few stragglers were hanging out, but one in particular caught her attention. She quickly made her way over to him, somewhat relieved._

_Stefan stopped his conversation with some blonde girl and looked at Elena like she was about to become the biggest inconvenience ever. "Have you seen Caroline or Bonnie?" she asked._

"_Nope" Stefan said, letting the word pop from his lips. "Now if you'll excuse us, we were talking" Stefan said, glaring at Elena before turning back to this girl and smiling at her. The girl also glared at Elena._

"_Stefan" Elena said, a tad bit annoyed. "I'm serious. I can't find them and I really need them to take me home" she said, keeping her voice from sounding desperate._

_Stefan turned towards Elena yet again. "What did I just say, Elena?" he asked. "I don't know where they are. Now go away" he told her. When Elena refused to move, Stefan groaned. "Hey, will you go and get us drinks?" Stefan asked his date, or friend, or whatever she was, sweetly. The girl huffed as she stared at Elena, but she kissed Stefan long and hard before stomping away. Elena fought hard not to roll her eyes. "You are getting really annoying really fast" Stefan warned Elena._

"_Baaaaabbbby!" they heard a guy say from behind Elena. Elena flinched, something that did not go unnoticed by Stefan, but he didn't say anything either. "There you are" he said, slinging an arm around Elena's shoulders. _

"_Looks like your date found you" Stefan smirked. "Now, I'm going to go and find mine" he told her, walking off._

_The guy leaned in to kiss Elena, but she pushed him away. "Get off of me!" she said, desperation evident in her voice. The drunk guy held on to her though, refusing to let her get away this time. "Please, leave me alone" she said, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. _

"_Don't be such a buzz kill" he told her, moving a piece of hair behind her ear. Elena felt his free hand slide up under her shirt as he tried to kiss her neck. Her tears began to flow freely now. She wasn't one of those girls. _

_Elena's adrenaline kicked in though as she pushed him as hard as she could. He stumbled backwards, a little confused at what had just happened. "Bitch!" he yelled at her._

_Elena backed away from him and turned to run away quickly, not bothering to check if he was still following her. Her silent tears turned into sobs as she replayed the situation in her head. She had never felt so violated before. _

_Elena felt someone catch her by the arm. She pulled away quickly and spun around to see who it was. "Elena?" Stefan asked, seeing her tear-stained face and hearing her sobs. He had wanted to tell her that he knew where Bonnie and Caroline were. He hadn't expected to see her like this. "What's wrong?" he asked. Not that he cared. _

_Elena completely broke down, throwing herself into his arms and clinging to his shirt for dear life. "I want to go home" she cried. Maybe she was little bit more emotional than usual because she had had a drink or two._

_Stefan was somewhat confused until the same guy he had seen Elena with moments earlier, was walking their way. "There you are" he smiled, completely forgetting about Elena shoving him earlier._

_Elena turned around, fear shooting through her as she heard his voice. Her back was practically melted into Stefan. "Stay away from me!" she demanded._

_The guy smiled. "You don't mean that" he said, taking a step toward her. _

_Stefan, feeling Elena shaking against him, pushed her behind him, his protective nature kicking in. Not that he liked Elena, but, he had known her forever. "I think she does" Stefan stated, standing eye to eye with this guy. _

_The guy stared at Stefan for a good minute, trying to judge whether or not he could take Stefan or not. He decided he had better walk away. "Whatever" he said, eyeing Elena one last time before walking off. _

_Elena felt herself let out the small breath she had been holding. "Are you okay?" he asked. Elena nodded, though he knew she was lying. He had known her way too long for her to fool him. "Bonnie and Caroline are down by the lake" he added. Elena simply nodded again. A moment passed by with neither one of them talking. He did notice that she had stopped crying. "I can take you home if you want" he told her. _

_Elena finally brought her eyes up to meet his. She finally shook her head no and then turned to walk toward the lake to find Bonnie and Caroline. But suddenly, Elena stopped. "I'm going to remember what you did for me tonight" she told him. Stefan's eyes remained locked with hers until Elena finally looked down._

_Elena continued walking. Little did she know, Stefan was not far behind, making sure that creep was not going to bother her again._

And Elena still remembered that night. They never spoke of it again. Even the next day, Elena and Stefan were back to making jabs at each other. But she never forgot what he had done for her.

Elena woke up, not in a panic and not in despair. But longing for something. For someone.

A knock on the door startled her some. "Elena?" came Aunt Jenna's voice. She poked her head in to Elena's room and smiled. "Good, you're up. I need you to run these invitations over to the Boarding house" she said.

"Why can't you do it?" Elena asked.

"Because it is way out of my way and I have to go and deliver the 50 other invitations I forgot to deliver that I told Mrs. Lockwood I would" she explained. "So, hop to it" she said, placing them on Elena's dresser and leaving. Elena groaned.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena gripped the invitations in her hands tightly as she waited for someone to answer the door. When it squeaked open slowly, she gasped. "Stefan" she said, her mouth gaping open at the sight of dried blood over his eye. "What happened?" she asked, moving in toward the house to get a better look.

But Stefan stopped her. "You shouldn't be here right now" Stefan told her. "Please, go" he said, his eyes filled with so much pain.

"Stefan" Elena, reaching her arms out for him. "What's going on?" she asked, holding on to his arms so he could not shut the door on her.

He avoided her eyes. "It's nothing. I'll call you later" he said, pushing her back gently. She couldn't be here right now.

But Elena shook her head. "You're hurt. I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on" she said stubbornly.

"Yes, Stefan, why don't you tell her what's going on" Damon said from behind Stefan. Elena looked over Stefan's shoulder to see Damon just standing there, holding a glass of something, most likely bourbon. "Please, Elena, do come in" Damon said, coming to stand behind Stefan.

Elena moved around Stefan who stood there in defeat. Elena could smell alcohol on Damon's breath as she walked past him. "You two have been fighting" Elena guessed. Damon began to laugh, confirming for Elena that he had indeed had too much to drink. "Damon, I think you should go on up to your room and sleep it off" she suggested. "I need to get Stefan's cut cleaned up."

Damon waved his hand carelessly, staggering across the room. "He's fine" he said. "And I surely could use a nap. Are you willing to join me?" he asked, winking at her.

"Stop, Damon" Stefan warned. Elena could see that Stefan was on edge.

"No, you stop Stefan" Damon said, suddenly becoming aggravated. "Stop lying to her!" he said harshly.

Elena's eyes were suddenly on Stefan and Stefan's eyes were on her. "Stefan?" she asked, her voice showing signs of anticipation, confusion, and worry.

"Damon, don't do this" Stefan said calmly. He stepped towards him, his hands out in a surrendering manner. "Come on, let's get you upstairs" he said.

Damon glared at his brother. "Stop it! Stop it Stefan!" Damon yelled. "Why do we have to suffer when it was her fault?" he yelled out. Damon suddenly turned to Elena, who had a petrified look on her face. She stood there, frozen. "It's your fault they died!" he yelled angrily.

Elena's first thought was the death of her parents, but she was confused about why Damon would be so upset about that. "Elena, leave now" Stefan said in a commanding tone. She caught his pleading look and nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't know why Damon was doing this.

Elena took a step forward, but Damon had other ideas. "You're not going anywhere. Not until you hear this" he threatened, his bloodshot eyes glaring into her own tearful eyes.

"Hear what?" Elena asked cautiously, her voice shaking as she looked from Damon to Stefan.

"Why you are to blame for our parent's death" Damon answered angrily.

Elena tore her eyes from Damon's angry stare and looked at Stefan, his eyes filled with so much pain. "Wha … what?" she struggled to get out, feeling her legs about to give out under her.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Keep them coming!**

**Please don't have a heart attack though! I would feel really bad! But, I am glad that my writing affects you the way I intend it to ;) **

**In regards to the scene I mentioned that I watched being filmed with Paul, I did not get to meet him then. He had been filming for about 15 hours, so he waved from the van and said goodnight. I did have the pleasure of meeting him last March though. Let me tell you. Funniest. Guy. Ever. You'd never know that from watching Stefan, but Paul is super funny and he really is a joy to talk with. **

**Last, Stefan really is a good guy, isn't he? I love him.**

"You heard me" Damon growled. "You're the reason my parents are dead." Damon took another drink of his bourbon before stumbling toward Elena some more. Stefan jumped in front of him, unsure of what Damon would do next. Damon wobbled a little, but kept his balance.

"Your parents were hit by a drunk driver" Elena said, so quietly that Damon barely heard her. But he did. Elena's eyes met his again. "How is that my fault Damon!" she yelled suddenly, ignoring her tears.

Damon smiled. "You …" he said, pointing at her drunkenly.

"Damon, enough" Stefan said roughly. "Go upstairs" he ordered. He would deal with him later.

Damon shoved Stefan, sending him colliding backwards into Elena. "Stay out of this Stefan! If you had the balls, you'd of told her years ago!" Damon yelled. "Where were our parents headed the night they were killed Stefan?" he asked, flicking his venomous eyes toward Elena. Stefan's panic began to increase. Damon was really going to do this. "On their way to meet your parents" Damon continued, pointing his finger at Elena.

Elena felt her breath catch in her throat. What was Damon talking about? "Stefan?" she asked, gripping his arm tightly as he stood protectively in front of her.

"Damon, I'm begging you …" Stefan said desperately, feeling as though he was failing at protecting her.

But Damon was relentless. "Why, our parents were on that road, heading to meet your parents at the police station" he continued as though he was narrating. Elena felt Stefan's arm tense under her hand. "See, there were some questions about your birth. The usual. Missing records" Damon explained, before smirking. "Forged records …" he trailed off.

"Stop it!" Stefan yelled, causing Elena to jump. "I'll tell her" he said reluctantly. But if she was going to hear it, it shouldn't have been from Damon. Not like this. He was too angry. Stefan turned slowly, grabbing both of her hands. He almost had to look away, her glistening tear-filled eyes breaking him down.

"Stefan" Elena whispered, fearing for the worst. Which she had every right to as far as Stefan was concerned.

"Let's go upstairs" he told her, nodding his head to encourage her. "Come on" he said, holding her close as he directed her towards the stairs.

"Awwww" Damon mocked. "Always the protector, Stefan" Damon continued. "She deserves to feel the same pain she caused us!" he yelled after them. As soon as the pair were out of sight, Damon downed his glass and threw it at the fireplace, watching it smash into pieces. He sank into his chair, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back.

Stefan shut his door behind him and Elena. Elena walked herself over to his bed and sat down. Stefan watched her for a moment. The moment he had found out the truth played in the back of his mind. Three days after the death of his parents. Damon had sat him down and angrily told Stefan how their parents were on their way to meet the Gilbert's to vogue on their behalf for Elena.

Stefan kneeled in front of her. "Why were there questions about my birth Stefan?" she cried as she asked.

"I didn't want you to find out like this" he said, tightening his hold on her hands. "I'm so sorry Elena" he said.

"Tell me, Stefan. Just tell me what you know" she said, pulling her hands away from him to wipe at her tears.

Stefan looked away for a moment before looking back at her. "Miranda and Grayson … they're not your birth parents" he stated. He didn't think there was any way he could say this to make it better for her. "They adopted you" he spoke softly. Though, not legally. Which is why his parents had been on their way to meet the Gilberts at the police station. The Salvatores, the closest friends to the Gilberts, were going to flat out lie to the police about Elena's birth. Because that is the only way Miranda and Grayson could avoid jail. It was the only way they could keep Elena.

Elena sat absolutely still, all life in her eyes absent. Stefan touched her arm and it seemed to waken her up. Elena bit her bottom lip and shook her head no, slowly. "No" she whispered, blinking back even more tears. "No … no" she said, continuing to shake her head.

"I'm so sorry Elena" he apologized again. "I … You shouldn't have found out like this" he said regretfully. Stefan was a little surprised when Elena's hands pushed on his chest, trying to move him away from her so she could leave. "Elena please don't leave" he said, stopping her.

"I can't be here" she told him, crying harder now. As the minutes passed by, the reality of it all began to set in. "I can't be here!" she shouted, pushing against him harder.

But Stefan stood his ground, holding her still. He grabbed her arms to keep her from shoving him. "Talk to me Elena" he pleaded, searching her eyes. Elena closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"It's my fault my so called parents are dead. And I killed yours too" she sobbed. "Why didn't they tell me?" she asked. "Why didn't they tell me!" she screamed.

Stefan immediately pulled her towards him and they both collapsed on the floor against the bed. He held her close to him, tucking her head into his neck, trying everything he could to soothe her. "Nothing is your fault. Damon, he's just drunk and angry. He didn't mean it" Stefan said calmly. He knew it was a lie. Damon was angry with her, though it was stupid and uncalled for. "Your parents were probably waiting for the right time to tell you" he said, taking a guess.

Elena continued to sob as she clung to his shirt. She felt lost and hopeless once again. Who was she? She wasn't Miranda and Grayson's daughter. "I want to go" she stated after a while. "I want to leave here" she said, peeling herself away from him.

"Okay, okay" Stefan said, grabbing her shoulders. "Where do you want to go?" he asked calmly.

Elena shook her head quickly. "I don't care. I just can't be in Mystic Falls right now" she said, pulling away from his touch and standing. "I want to go" she said sadly, as if she was afraid he would stop her again. That he would force her to stay there and bask in her new found misery.

Stefan stood quickly, waiting for her to look at him. "Anywhere you want to go" Stefan told her. "As long as I go with you" he said. Elena held his gaze for a moment before she nodded, her tears slowing. Stefan stepped towards her again and pulled her into his arms. "Everything's going to be okay, Elena" he told her. Because he would make sure of it.

**XXXXXXXXX**

They had been driving for six hours and Stefan was becoming more and more worried about Elena. Against his better judgment, he had not called Jenna because Elena told him not to. He hadn't stopped to get something to eat either, because Elena wanted to keep going. He knew that upsetting her now would only make her push him away. As of right now, he was the only person she was willing to be with. But, after six hours, he needed to stop. His head was throbbing and he checked his cleaned up cut in the mirror. It wasn't bleeding anymore. "Elena, I'm hungry" he said, glancing at a few upcoming exit signs that indicated there was food at the next right. Elena didn't say anything as Stefan veered off the highway and onto the exit ramp.

Stefan pulled into some pancake house that had a few cars parked. He figured the dinner rush hadn't hit yet. He cut the engine and looked over at her. She was huddled against the window, looking out it. "Hungry?" he asked. Elena shook her head no. "Well, do you at least want to join me?" he asked. Elena again shook her head no. "Please?" he asked, not being able to get out of the truck and leave her. Elena looked over at him and then sighed heavily. She really just wanted to keep going.

But, she got out of the truck and followed him in. A perky older woman came bounding out behind the counter with a huge smile. "Well hi there!" she greeted. "The two of you?" she asked. Stefan nodded. "Well okay then. Right this way" she said, leading them towards the back of the diner and getting them settled in a booth. "What can I start you out with to drink?" she asked.

Stefan cleared his throat some. "Coffee, please" he told her. The waitress looked over at Elena who remained still. "Same for her" Stefan answered. The woman looked back and forth between the young couple before going to get the coffee. "So, pancakes or waffles?" he asked Elena. Elena turned her head to stare out the window. "Elena?" he asked.

"Pancakes" she stated. "Chocolate chip" she added. Stefan felt himself sigh with relief. At least she was thinking about eating.

The waitress came back, setting the coffees down and pulling out her scratch pad to take the order. "An order of chocolate chip pancakes and an order of buttermilk" he said, handing the menus to her. She nodded, a worried look coming across her face when she noticed how quiet and avoidant the young girl was.

As soon as she left, Elena slid toward the edge of the booth. "I'm going to the restroom" she stated. Stefan simply nodded. She disappeared behind a corner and Stefan waited anxiously.

When Elena emerged from the restroom, the waitress was standing at the door. "Miss" she said nervously. "I can't help but notice how quiet and sad you look" she stated. "Is that guy you're with, is he hurting you?" she asked cautiously.

Elena was struck with shock at the woman's question. But she realized she had to set things straight. "No" Elena said, shaking her head. "I'm just dealing with a family crisis right now" Elena explained. Then it clicked. She was having a crisis and he was with her, helping her, supporting her. Elena smiled softly as she looked over at Stefan. "Stefan is wonderful. He's taking care of me" she assured her. The woman suddenly smiled, thankful that her suspicions seemed to be wrong. Elena excused herself and began walking back to Stefan, suddenly remembering how grateful she was for him being with her.

Stefan was somewhat surprised when Elena slid into the booth next to him, wrapping her arms around his arm and resting her chin on his shoulder. "Thank you for doing this for me" she said, reaching up to kiss his cheek. She still had a lot to think about, but for right now, she was thankful he was by her side.

Stefan felt a little of the weight on his shoulders lift. He leaned towards her a little and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, happiness filling him when he realized she did not move away from his affection. "Anytime" he said. Elena smiled as she moved back to her side of the table.

"Think we can make it to Atlanta tonight?" she asked, pouring creamer into her coffee. She was going to force her mood to change, force herself not to think about her illegal adoption, and force herself not to think about her indirect role in Stefan's parents' death.

Stefan shrugged. "If that's what you want" he told her.

Elena nodded. "That's what I want" she said. Stefan nodded. He could get her to Atlanta.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The hotel room they walked into was a hundred times better than the one they had stayed in at the coast. It was quiet and clean and spacious. Elena dropped her plastic bag on the floor, filled with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Seeing as how they had both just taken off, neither had packed for this trip. Elena shut the door and smiled. "Look, the door handle stays on" she said, a teasing ring in her tone. Stefan smirked. Elena picked the items out of the bag and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and splash water on her face.

Stefan pulled his shirt off and got his jeans off. He crawled into the bed and got comfortable. Eight hours of driving had taken a lot of out him. Elena came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, shutting the larger light off. She eyed his pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. "Maybe we should have picked up pajamas" Elena suggested, surveying the situation. One bed. No clothes.

Stefan smiled at how uncomfortable she was. "I can put my jeans back on" he said, tossing the covers off of himself.

"No" Elena said, putting her hand up. "It's okay" she told him. They had seen each other in less. Elena turned around and unbuttoned her jeans, pushing them down her legs and stepping out of them. She unbuttoned the shirt she had on, but left the tank top on that was underneath. Elena pulled the covers back and slid in between the sheets.

Both remained quiet, but well aware of the close proximity. Elena made the first move, scooting towards him. He welcomed her with open arms, pulling her against him. "Stefan?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?" he asked her, loving the feel of her breath against his bare chest.

"Why didn't you ever tell me, that I was adopted?" she asked him, a serious tone in her voice. Elena felt his arms tighten around her.

"Because it wasn't my place to tell you" he answered honestly. "And quite frankly, I didn't think it mattered." Elena propped herself up on her elbow so she could look at him. "Miranda and Grayson were your parents. They raised you, loved you, cared for you. Why does biology matter in that?" he asked her.

Elena thought about his answer. Some of her anger broke away at hearing this. "They really loved you" she said, resting her head on his chest. Stefan nodded. He knew that, but it was nice to hear, especially from Elena. "I just can't help but wonder who my real parents are" she said.

Stefan rolled her over, pressing her into the mattress lightly. He looked into her eyes and make sure he had her full attention. "They are your real parents" he whispered to her. "And whatever their reasons for keeping it a secret – from you and everyone else – it was because they loved you" he assured her.

Elena nodded. "I heard what you said to Caroline" she said, blushing slightly at the thought.

Stefan lowered his face to hers, touching his nose to hers. "It was the truth" he smiled. "I love you" he said, his lips gently pressing against hers in what felt like way too long.

**A/N: So, what did you think? **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: This chapter took me a good while to write. But, I got it done! I think there will only be a few more chapters for this story. I have another Stefan/Elena story in the works that I hope you all will check out. I love writing these two. Thank you Paul and Nina for the inspiration! Oh, and the writers/producers too!**

**For those who asked, I do have Paul's autograph as well as three pictures with him. He's super nice! Maybe I should stop writing that his character makes bets to get girls into bed ;) **

**Thank you for the reviews! I know I always say it, but, they really do motivate me to write. I enjoy writing a lot more when I know there are people out there willing to read. So, thanks again!**

Elena's eyes shot open. All night, her dreams were clouded with memories of her parents – her adoptive parents, as well as questions about who her biological parents really were. There were moments with Damon mixed in, his anger frightening her. Finally, she had thought about Stefan and Damon's parents. How loving they were. How Giuseppe had always gathered her up in his arms when he had seen her, telling her hello in the process.

It did not surprise Elena that the Salvatores would keep her parents' secret. Her father and Giuseppe had grown up together. The Salvatores were probably the only ones who knew about Elena. Well, her birth parents too.

Elena racked her brain for any instances of when she felt like something wasn't right in her family. Her life seemed pretty normal. Elena had a birth certificate, complete with Miranda's and Grayson's name. She had never questioned whether or not she belonged. Though, she always asked her parents whether or not Jeremy was adopted when he had pissed her off.

Elena sighed. She knew she needed to talk to Jenna and figure out everything she needed to know about her birth. Reluctantly, Elena also knew that she needed to talk to Damon about his anger toward her. When he was sober, of course. And Elena needed to talk with Stefan too, seeing as how they were kind of, sort of, pretty much, maybe, back together.

Elena turned her head and smiled. The one good thing about her life at the moment was halfway wrapped around her. He was still asleep, his face buried in her pillow, his legs entangled in hers and his arm draped over her stomach. Although nothing happened the night before, you wouldn't know it from their current position. He was breathing softly and it was tickling her ear. "Stefan" she whispered. He didn't budge. She needed him to get up so they could continue driving. She wanted to go to Florida. "Stefan" she said, a little louder. Still nothing.

Elena sighed before peeling his arm off of her and attempting to get up. "No" came his voice, all whiny and sleepy. He rolled over on top of her, his face now buried in her hair, and sighed as he started to go back to sleep.

Elena laughed at her sudden predicament. There was no way she was getting up with him laying on top of her like this. Unless she got him up too. "Hey Stefan" she said softly. Elena placed gentle kisses on his shoulder – the only body part of his that her lips could reach at the moment. Stefan sighed, clearly approving of the affectionate contact. "I need to shower" she told him.

"No, sleep a little longer" he mumbled. There was no way he was getting up when he had a nice soft, warm bed, with Elena in it.

"Wanna join me?" she asked. Elena gasped at how quickly Stefan had jumped up, his hands placed on either side of her as he looked down at her.

"Do you even need to ask me that?" he asked her, a silly grin on his face as he stared down at her. Elena smiled in return, though she couldn't help but think about something she needed to tell him. In order to truly move on, he needed to hear this. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her smile fade.

"Stefan" she said, realizing how important this moment would be for them. Stefan looked a little scared at what she was going to tell him. "The whole bet thing …" she told him.

Stefan's face instantly showed how nervous he was at the mention of the bet. He rolled away from her, landing on his back with a guilty sigh. He wanted nothing more than to be able to go back in time and tell Tyler to piss off when he announced the bet.

Elena slowly moved on top of him, her hands resting against his chest. "I forgive you, Stefan" she said, searching his eyes for his reaction. She had known she would forgive him, but deciding when to actually forgive him had been the challenge. He did something stupid. She was pretty sure he would do something stupid in the future. She might too.

"Are you saying it because you think you need to, or because you really mean it?" he asked, a little skeptical.

Elena smirked, which relieved him. He didn't want his question to upset her. He just wanted the truth. "When have I ever said something I didn't mean just because I thought I needed to say it?" she asked him.

Stefan's face returned to that soft, tender manner that was so familiar to her now. He pretended to think about her answer, earning him a scowl from Elena as she rolled away from him this time and attempted to get out of bed. Stefan was pretty sure his life was perfect now, no matter how many other things were going wrong at the moment. Stefan pinned her down once again, loving this playful side of them that was surfacing this morning. It had been way too long. He smiled as he leaned down to give her a soft, slow kiss. "Thank you" he said, cupping her face this time as he leaned down to kiss her again, this time, with more passion.

Elena let herself get lost, let him take control. Before she knew it, she was being pulled up towards him and carried out of bed towards the bathroom. Elena wrapped her arms and legs around Stefan, playfully attacking his lips with her own. He didn't seem to mind as he fumbled for the light switch. "Damnit" Stefan mumbled, trying to kiss Elena while keeping a grip on her with one arm and knocking things over with the other hand as he searched for that light switch.

Elena giggled, pulling her lips back to help him. Stefan's lips found their way to her neck as Elena reached back, sliding her hands along the wall for the light switch. "Ah ha!" she called out, flipping the light on. Stefan carried her further into the bathroom, letting her feet down to touch the floor. Elena smiled as she pecked him on the lips playfully before turning around and opening the door to the shower. She turned the water on, holding her hand under the spray to test the temperature. Stefan had been standing there for no less than 30 seconds before he couldn't stand it anymore. The loss of contact. It was killing him. Elena felt him come up behind her, his hands on her hips as he kissed the back of her shoulder. "You just can't keep your hands off of me, can you?" she asked.

"Are you complaining?" he asked, running his hands up under her tank top and slowly pulling it over her head.

"No" she said, shaking her head. A nervous breath caught in her throat as he began fingering the back of her bra. This would be the first time they had seen each other naked since that night.

"We don't have to do this" he said in her ear, letting his hands come to rest on her lower back.

Elena turned around, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I want this" she said, looking up at him through her long eyelashes. She reached up on her toes to kiss him as he worked on getting the rest of her clothes off. His boxers followed and he was pushing Elena into the shower before she knew it.

The warm water felt amazing. The combination of warm water and Stefan's hands working their way over her body was enough to convince her she never wanted to leave. Stefan's hands found themselves in her hair, working in the hotel's shampoo. "I could get used to this" Elena sighed.

Stefan smiled as he placed a kiss on her cheek. He backed her up under the water and she closed her eyes while her hair rinsed. "I think we can make this happen a little more often" he told her, a sly smirk appearing. Elena opened one eye to see him. He did not know how it would be possible, seeing as how Jenna would never let him stay over and Stefan did not want Elena at the Boarding House where Damon was.

Elena reached for the shampoo and went to work on his hair, though she found it difficult with Stefan's arms wrapped around her as he tried to kiss her. "Stefan, you are making this more difficult than it should be" she laughed. Stefan did not seem to hear her, but he got the point when she shoved him backwards under the water.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

They hadn't bothered with clothes once they were done in the shower. Actually, what had started in the shower had carried over to the bed, despite Elena's weak attempts to try and get them to start driving again. In the end, Stefan had convinced Elena that they could stay in Atlanta one more day.

Elena had a ridiculously happy smile on her face as Stefan held her. His hands were lazily rubbing her arms and Elena had tangled her legs with his. "Are you going to call your aunt?" Stefan asked.

Elena sighed. "I suppose" she answered. She was really dreading the conversation they would have. "Stefan, what were you and Damon fighting about before I got there?" she asked suddenly, changing the subject.

Stefan's hands stopped moving along her arms. Elena wondered if he would tell her. "You" he finally said. Elena turned her head so she could look at him. "Our parents. Money. The house. Everything" Stefan rambled off. "He had been drinking since he got up. I should have just left him alone" Stefan sighed.

"Does he drink like that often?" Elena asked. Stefan nodded. Elena wrapped her arms around Stefan. "I'm so sorry Stefan" she said.

Stefan shrugged. "It's nothing new. Damon and I have never gotten along" he reminded. And Damon did like to drink, or, self-medicate as Stefan liked to call it.

"If you ever want to talk about it …" Elena ventured.

Stefan shook his head. "You've got enough on your plate right now. You don't need my problems too" he told her. For God sakes, Elena just found out that she was adopted under not so legal circumstances the day before. And now she was trying to worry about his problems with his brother.

Elena just smiled. "Sorry to tell you, but your problems are my problems now. And vice versa."

"You mean I have to get cramps once a month now too?" he asked in a teasing tone. Elena shoved his shoulder lightly. "I'm serious though, Elena. I want you to focus on your own stuff first" he told her.

Elena simply rolled her eyes. "Sometimes it is easier just to agree with you to shut you up" she muttered as she sat up. She rubbed her eyes a bit and looked around the room. She had to get out of there for a while.

"That's too bad" Stefan said behind her ear. It was then that she realized just how close he was to her at the moment. How close he had gotten to her in such a short time. "I kind of like it when you disagree with me" he said in a low, somewhat seductive growl that made her shiver. How the hell did he do that to her? "I always liked your feisty side" he continued, his arms snaking their way around her waist. Even when she was hell bent on making his life miserable, he always liked that spark she had in her. He had to admit, it was kind of sexy.

"You really can't keep your hands off of me, can you?" she asked once again, placing her arms on top of his and leaning back into him.

"Are you still complaining?" he asked, kissing her neck and up along her jaw. His hands worked their way across her stomach.

Elena closed her eyes and sighed. "No, no complaints here" she said grabbing his hands and stilling them. "But, I would like to get out of this hotel room and go out for a little bit" she said, turning around to face him. He looked crushed. "Seriously?" she asked. "We've been in bed or the shower all morning and afternoon. It will do us some good to take a break" she told him, grabbing his face in her hands and kissing him softly.

Stefan groaned, but figured she was right. "Okay, where would you like to go?" he asked her, resting his forehead against hers.

"A walk" she said, moving away from him to find her discarded clothes. She grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around her, leaving him completely uncovered. Elena kept her head forward, not wanting to look back and see him. She blushed at the thought.

Elena threw his clothes out the bathroom door and got dressed, fixing her hair and trying to make herself look halfway descent. She jumped when her phone began ringing in the pocket of her jeans. It was Jenna. Panic washed over her as she walked out of the bathroom, noticing she had nine missed calls. "It's Jenna" she said, holding the phone out for Stefan to see. "I don't know what to do!" she panicked.

"Answer it?" Stefan asked. Elena frowned as she looked at her phone again. "She's going to kill us. Well, you. She's going to kill you and then I will be grounded until the day I die!" she cried out.

"This was your idea!" Stefan defended. "And I will argue that until she believes me" Stefan added, crossing his arms.

Elena huffed before walking toward the door. "Hello?" she asked cautiously, opening the door and stepping out.

"Where in the hell are you Elena?" Jenna's voice screeched out. "It is one in the afternoon and you have not come home yet!" she yelled. "I have tried to be as lenient with you as possible, but this is inexcusable!"

Elena swallowed hard. "Did you know I was adopted?" she asked hoarsely. She heard the other end of the line go silent. Elena's grip on the phone tightened. "Did you know I was adopted?" she asked again.

"Elena" Jenna said softly. "How did you …?" she asked, stopping herself from asking. Maybe she did not want to know how Elena found out.

Elena blinked back a few tears. She thought confronting her aunt would be easier than this. "That doesn't matter" Elena said. "What matters is that I know. And that you all kept it from me" she said angrily.

"Elena, please don't be angry" Jenna told her. "Just come home and we can talk about this" she said sadly. This was not a conversation she was looking forward to having, but seeing as how her sister was gone, it was up to her now.

"You should have told me!" Elena said, tears running down her face. "We tell each other everything!" she added. Or, so she thought.

"Elena, please. Come home" Jenna said desperately.

Elena closed her eyes. "I'm in Atlanta. I can't come home right now" she said.

"Atlanta? You're in Atlanta? By yourself?" she asked in disbelief.

"No. Stefan's with me. We're going to Florida tomorrow" she answered. Elena heard Jenna groan with irritation. "I just need a few days to think things through, Jenna" Elena said, wiping at her tears. Though, Elena was becoming less convinced of this.

Jenna understood. She always did. And it was summer vacation still. "I'm so sorry, Elena" Jenna finally said after a bit of silence. "I love you. Please know that." Elena nodded, though she knew Jenna could not see her. Elena was glad her aunt did not bring up the situation with Stefan. The last that Jenna knew, Elena was upset at Stefan and had broken up with him. And now she had run off with him.

Elena hung up and pocketed her phone. She let out an exasperated breath before going back into the room. Stefan was sitting on the bed. "You okay?" he asked. Elena nodded her head yes before she broke down into tears once again. Stefan stood and quickly crossed the room, his arms securing Elena against him. "What'd she say?" he asked.

Elena clung to Stefan, suddenly feeling like she did not want to go out anymore. "That we would talk when I got home" Elena answered weakly.

Stefan kissed her hair. He picked up on something in her voice. "Do you want to head home now, Elena?" he asked. Sure, Elena had been determined to get to Florida. But that phone call with Jenna seemed to change her mind. Elena nodded her head yes as she continued to cry. "Okay" he said, pulling her even closer. "Okay."


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I have one more chapter to write for this story! Will it be happy or sad? That is the question. I kind of like happy Stefan and Elena moments, seeing as how we are lacking in that department on T.V. right now. **

**Like I mentioned last chapter, I do have another story in the works. When I post the last chapter to this story, I will also post the first chapter to my next story. I will link it on here for you all. I hope you will enjoy it!**

**Thank you again to my many reviewers! I am sad to see this story come to an end, but I am excited to continue writing Stefan and Elena in future stories!**

Elena was trying her very best to not think about the conversation she would have with her aunt when she arrived home. Stefan and she had about two more hours of driving left to do. The only thing she could think of to distract her were silly road trip games, which they had been playing for about an hour now.

The other distractions along their drive home included the four stops they had taken to rest. Stefan insisted that they needed to stop so that Elena could use the restroom, even though she insisted she was fine. By the second stop, Elena was on to him. Stefan had used their 15 minute stop for them to fool around before they headed back out on the road. Not that she was complaining, but still.

Elena was staring out the window when she decided to continue their game. "I spy something … red" she said, looking over at him. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Your underwear" he answered.

Elena's cheeks immediately turned pink. "Stefan!" she scolded, smacking him in the arm. "You have to be able to see it" she reminded him.

"I have seen it. Four times today" he smirked.

Elena's cheeks continued to deepen in color. "You have to be able to see it right now" she added, reminding him yet again of the rules for the game which she was sure he knew.

Stefan smiled. "So show me" he replied, running his hand over the top of her leg.

"You've been feeling me up at every rest stop" she reminded him, a little bit more moodily than she had intended for it to sound. Elena watched Stefan's gaze return to the road as his hand returned to the wheel. "I'm sorry" she quickly said. "I'm just dreading going home" she admitted.

Stefan reached out and grabbed her hand. "It will be okay" he told her, sneaking a glance at her before he switched lanes.

"Yeah right" Elena scoffed. "It's not every day you have to have a conversation about being adopted and running away with your boyfriend" she said before she could stop herself.

"Boyfriend?" Stefan asked, turning to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "So I'm your boyfriend now?"

Elena looked around frantically, searching her brain for a response. "Well … umm … I just thought …" she sputtered.

"You thought right" Stefan said, deciding to end her self-torture. He squeezed her hand. "Which means, we are in this together" he added. "It'll be okay" he promised. Somehow, he knew it would be.

Somehow, Elena knew he was right. She squeezed his hand back and smiled. "I spy something truly amazing" she said, looking at him as she attempted to continue the game.

Stefan turned to look at her, a bright smile of his own. "You" he answered.

XXXXXXXX

"Is Stefan here?" Katherine asked, leaning against the doorway. Damon glared at her. He was still hung over from two days ago, if that was possible. And now, he had to put up with her.

"No. Now go away" Damon told her.

Katherine smirked as she pushed off of the doorway and stepped towards him. "Good. I was hoping it would just be the two of us" she said, placing her hands on his chest.

Damon eyed her suspiciously. "Leave" he said sternly, though Katherine paid no mind to his tone.

"You and I both know you don't mean that" Katherine pouted as she slithered up closer to Damon, resting her head on his shoulder. "I really have missed you" she said, moving to kiss against his neck.

Elena was trying her very best to not think about the conversation she would have with her aunt when she arrived home. Stefan and she had about two more hours of driving left to do. The only thing she could think of to distract her were silly road trip games, which they had been playing for about an hour now.

The other distractions along their drive home included the four stops they had taken to rest. Stefan insisted that they needed to stop so that Elena could use the restroom, even though she insisted she was fine. By the second stop, Elena was on to him. Stefan had used their 15 minute stop for them to fool around before they headed back out on the road. Not that she was complaining, but still.

Elena was staring out the window when she decided to continue their game. "I spy something … red" she said, looking over at him. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Your underwear" he answered.

Elena's cheeks immediately turned pink. "Stefan!" she scolded, smacking him in the arm. "You have to be able to see it" she reminded him.

"I have seen it. Four times today" he smirked.

Elena's cheeks continued to deepen in color. "You have to be able to see it right now" she added, reminding him yet again of the rules for the game which she was sure he knew.

Stefan smiled. "So show me" he replied, running his hand over the top of her leg.

"You've been feeling me up at every rest stop" she reminded him, a little bit more moodily than she had intended for it to sound. Elena watched Stefan's gaze return to the road as his hand returned to the wheel. "I'm sorry" she quickly said. "I'm just dreading going home" she admitted.

Stefan reached out and grabbed her hand. "It will be okay" he told her, sneaking a glance at her before he switched lanes.

"Yeah right" Elena scoffed. "It's not every day you have to have a conversation about being adopted and running away with your boyfriend" she said before she could stop herself.

"Boyfriend?" Stefan asked, turning to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "So I'm your boyfriend now?"

Elena looked around frantically, searching her brain for a response. "Well … umm … I just thought …" she sputtered.

"You thought right" Stefan said, deciding to end her self-torture. He squeezed her hand. "Which means, we are in this together" he added. "It'll be okay" he promised again. Somehow, he knew it would be.

Somehow, Elena knew he was right. She squeezed his hand back and smiled. "I spy something truly amazing" she said, looking at him as she attempted to continue the game.

Stefan turned to look at her, a bright smile of his own. "You" he answered.

XXXXXXXX

"Is Stefan here?" Katherine asked, leaning against the doorway. Damon glared at her. He was still hung over from two days ago, if that was possible. And now, he had to put up with her.

"No. Now go away" Damon told her.

Katherine smirked as she pushed off of the doorway and stepped towards him. "Good. I was hoping it would just be the two of us" she said, placing her hands on his chest.

Damon eyed her suspiciously. "Leave" he said sternly, though Katherine paid no mind to his tone.

"You and I both know you don't mean that" Katherine pouted as she slithered up closer to Damon, resting her head on his shoulder. "I really have missed you" she said, moving to kiss against his neck.

Damon closed his eyes, mentally kicking himself for being so weak around her. He really, really wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her. But then what? She would walk out on him again, looking for Stefan or some other unsuspecting guy. "Why can't you ever stay put?" he asked her.

Katherine pulled away from him, a curious look on her face. "What?" she asked.

Damon looked at her sadly. "If you could stay here, with me, I could make you happy, Katherine" he told her. It was true, there had been a time when he thought he could give her everything she ever wanted. Because he loved her. Now, he knew that was not possible. But seeing the confused and thoughtful look on her face was worth it to him. It meant somewhere deep down, she had some feeling.

Katherine stepped away from him, a pained look on her face. But she quickly recovered by replacing it with her signature smirk. "I don't stay put …" she began, trailing her finger along his arm. "Because I like being chased. And you are oh so very good at chasing" she told him, leaning in and placing a suggestive kiss on his lips. "Until next time" she whispered, turning slowing and making her way toward her car. Damon stood where he was and watched her. Damn. She was good.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jenna was sitting on the porch step when Stefan and Elena pulled up. "She doesn't look happy" Elena said, opening the truck door and jumping out. She waited for Stefan to come around and walk with her. Slowly, with Elena hiding behind him, they made their way toward the woman who looked as if she would and could, kill them.

Stefan stopped at the bottom step and Elena almost bumped into him. Jenna stood and was eye level with Stefan. "Elena, go inside. I'll be in to talk to you in a minute" she ordered. Elena gulped as she came out from behind Stefan and walked past her aunt. As soon as Elena closed the door behind her, Stefan finally worked up the courage to look Jenna in the eyes. "Sit" she told him. Stefan sat immediately and Jenna sat next to him. There was silence for about a minute before Jenna burst out angrily. "Damnit Stefan! What were you thinking!" she yelled.

"I wasn't thinking?" he asked hesitantly, hoping his answer would help him out.

Jenna shook her head. "I can't be the cool aunt anymore" she told him, a bit calmer this time. "I'm in charge of these kids now and I have John breathing down my neck, making sure I don't screw up" she explained. "This? Taking off with her, with no phone call? This can't happen again, Stefan."

Stefan nodded. "I know. And I'm sorry. She was just so upset and I, I just wanted to be there for her" he spit out desperately.

Jenna ran her hand over her face. "It's really hard trying to be mad you. Because I know how much you care about Elena. Even when you do make a stupid bet involving her" she said, eyeing him. Stefan looked away nervously. "I'm not going to harass you about it Stefan. Elena seems to have forgiven you" she said, blowing a piece of hair out of her face.

"It was the stupidest thing I've ever done" Stefan said.

"Yeah, I agree" Jenna said. It was quiet for a moment longer. "Just don't do it again. Don't make a bet and don't run off with her, okay?" she told him. Stefan nodded. Jenna stood, preparing to go and talk to her niece. Stefan was easy enough. Elena though? That part scared Jenna.

"How long are we banned from seeing each other?" Stefan asked, waiting for the punishment to be given out.

Jenna sighed. "I'm not going to keep you from seeing her" Jenna told him. "But, it will be in this house under my watch. At least until she's ungrounded" Jenna told him.

As Jenna left, Stefan let himself smile. No matter what she said, Stefan realized that Jenna would always be that cool aunt.

XXXXXXXX

Elena chanced a glance at her aunt as soon as Jenna walked in to the kitchen. "Elena" Jenna said. Before she even gave Elena the chance to respond, she continued. "Your mom and dad had been married for about two years. His practice was taking off and they decided it was a good time to try and have a baby. Your mom wanted nothing more than to be a mother" Jenna said. Elena looked out the window as she listened. "They tried for a year and nothing. So they went to a specialist and the news was not what they wanted. Your mom was crushed when she learned that it could take years to adopt. She didn't want to wait that long and your dad knew it" she continued. "One night, this young girl showed up as your dad was closing his office. She was in labor and the baby was born early that morning. The girl said she couldn't keep you. She was 16 and didn't know who the father was. She said she ran away. Had no money. Nowhere to live. So your dad offered her money in exchange for you. The money was to help her find a place to live and to basically survive. If they had done this legally, it could have taken a while for them to bring you home. And there was no guarantee that it would all work out" Jenna said, grabbing Elena's hand. "Your father saw an opportunity and he took it. He took you. And he loved you. Your mom couldn't have been happier. Scared at first of course, but she was able to be a mom finally."

Elena scoffed. "Yeah, and then they got their real baby a few years later" Elena said, pulling her hand away from Jenna.

"Jeremy was a miracle. But it didn't change how they felt about you" Jenna replied. "Did you ever once feel like you weren't part of this family?" Jenna asked.

Elena shook her head no. "I loved them. I just … I don't understand why they never told me. I would have kept their secret" Elena said.

"They didn't want you to have to carry around that secret, Elena" Jenna said softly. "They wanted you to have a normal life. They were going to tell you. When you were older and when the time was right."

Elena took a long pause before sighing. "It's kind of hard to be mad at them when they raised me" Elena said, wiping at a tear that was falling silently. "I miss them so much" she said.

Jenna pulled Elena into a hug which Elena gladly accepted. "I miss them too. I know this was not something you probably wanted to learn about your life, but I'm telling you right now, it changes nothing. I love you. My sister and your dad love you. Jeremy loves you, most of the time" she said, gaining a laugh from Elena. "And Stefan loves you too" she added.

Elena nodded as she held on to Jenna. "I know" she said.

"If you want to look for your birth parents …" Jenna began as she pulled away, but Elena cut her off.

"No" she said. "My parents are Miranda and Grayson. And I'm perfectly happy with that" Elena smiled.

Jenna touched Elena's face and smiled, tears forming in her eyes. "I love you, kid" she said.

"I love you too" Elena said. "How much depends on my punishment for going to Atlanta" she added cautiously. "Am I grounded?" she asked.

"Oh yeah" Jenna said. "For a month. Stefan can still come over, but only when I am here. And I will be hanging out with you two" she added. Elena groaned. "I went easy on you. The next time you pull something like that? You'll be grounded for eternity."

"You're getting good at this. The whole parental thing" Elena said as Jenna stood. "I'm impressed."

"You and me both" Jenna replied. "You and me both."

**XXXXXXXXX**

If looks could kill, Damon was pretty sure Elena was going to end him right then and there. Damon slowly approached the park bench, hesitantly taking a seat next to her. "I only have ten minutes before I have to head home" she stated. Jenna had agreed to let her go into town and get lunch for them. But that was it. So Elena took it upon herself to call and ask Damon to meet with her so they could talk. She noticed he looked guilty as hell.

"You wanted to talk" he said, looking anywhere but at her. He knew it annoyed her. "Does Stefan know you're talking to me?" he asked.

"This is between you and me. I see no reason for Stefan to get upset over this, which we both know he will" Elena replied. Damon nodded, still avoiding looking at her. "You blame me, for your parent's death" Elena stated, acknowledging that piece of information. "I'm sorry that I was part of the situation" she said, figuring she owed him that.

"You're apologizing to me?" he asked, looking at her for the first time. "After everything I did" he said, thinking to himself. "I assumed you hate me, after the other day" he added.

"You're upset with me and I accept that" Elena told him. "I just hope that one day, you won't hate me. Because I don't hate you. I actually look up to you" she told him.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "You look up to me?" he asked, not quite believing her. "Please. I'm a total asshole" he reminded her.

Elena smiled at that. "Yeah, you are" she agreed. "But you were always pretty cool when I was growing up. You had the car and could drive. You are ambitious and you are smart" she said, pointing out the positive things about him. "There's more to you than the notorious playboy. I'm glad I got to grow up with you to see that" she said, standing. "Again, I'm sorry about how you feel" she said, gathering her bags and walking away.

Damon sat there and watched her leave. He thought about their conversation and wondered what in the hell had just happened. She hadn't yelled at him or hurt him. She had been nice, actually. Now he felt like even more of an ass.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena smiled as she stepped out of her car and shut the door. Stefan was carrying a handful of wood toward the shed area. "What's going on?" Elena asked as she approached him.

"He's being useful" Jenna answered as she came out of the house. "I figured if he was going to spend a lot of time over here, he might as well pitch in since no one else in this family does" Jenna said, grabbing the bags from Elena. "You both come in and wash up. I'll get everything set out."

As Jenna went back in the house, Elena followed Stefan to where he dropped the wood. "You really can tell her no when she puts you to work" Elena told him.

Stefan smiled as he brushed his hands off. "I don't mind" he said, approaching her. "Besides, if it means I get to see you a little more often, I might even offer to help" he said, grabbing on to her belt and pulling her in for a kiss. Elena placed her hands on his chest and happily reciprocated.

The kiss lasted longer than it should have, considering Jenna was waiting for them. Reluctantly, Elena pulled away. "We should get inside" she said, feeling Stefan's lips on her neck as he pulled her even closer. "Stefan …" she warned half-heartedly. She moved back and Stefan followed, causing her to lose her balance and fall towards the ground. "Stefan!" she cried out, but he caught her, helping her land softly as he fell on top of her.

"Well well, look at this" Stefan said, straddling her to keep her down. "Hey, you're not still ticklish are you?" he asked, poking at her stomach.

Elena nearly died as she cried out with laughter. "Stefan don't!" she yelled, grabbing his hand to stop him from doing it again.

"If memory serves me correctly, I do believe you're ticklish back here too" he said, reaching back to tickle behind her knee.

Elena again cried out with laughter, fearing she might pee her pants if he kept it up. "Stefan, please stop!" she begged.

"And here" he continued, ticking under her arm. He continued to tickle her as she cried out, using anything from threatening him to begging him to even bribing him. Jenna watched from the kitchen window, a wide smile across her face. Ten years ago, Stefan had Elena pinned down in that very spot on the lawn, tickling her mercilessly. Though, Jenna was sure Elena enjoyed it much more this time around.

Stefan let up finally when he saw tears in her eyes from laughing too much. "You're terrible" she whined, working on catching her breath.

"But you like me anyway" he said, bending down to kiss her softly.

When he pulled away from her and helped her up, she remained close to him, looking up at his beautiful green eyes. "No" she said, shaking her head. "I love you" she corrected. Even her lightheadedness couldn't prevent her from seeing the beaming expression of happiness that appeared across his face. With a kiss to seal her sincerity, she then dragged Stefan with her to the house. A bright smile never left her face as she realized what she just admitted, not only to him, but to herself as well.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: This is the final chapter for this story. Sad! I really enjoyed writing it and I loved reading your reviews even more. You all inspired me to keep going. I only meant for this to be a few chapters long. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so much! You all are so wonderful and amazing.**

**As mentioned before, I have a new story I am working on, so if you enjoyed this one, I hope you will enjoy the next story as well. I think it is going to be a lot of fun for me to write. You can read the first chapter now. I just put it up. It is called **_**Until This Lie Do Us Part. **_**Rated T under Stefan and Elena.**

**But, back to the last chapter of My Life Without You …**

Stefan lay on his stomach in bed, his attention in his book that he had just purchased. He had been reading for almost two hours and could not think when the last time was that he was able to do this. Life was peaceful on his end for once. His attention was soon diverted to the young woman who came through his door who sighed a heavy sigh as she set her book bag down. He smiled, tossing his book aside. "This semester is going to kill me" Elena groaned, shuffling her feet towards Stefan's bed and collapsing on her stomach. Stefan sat up and grabbed for her feet, helping her take her boots off to get comfortable. "Three hours after school, researching with Bonnie on European trade from the Dinosaur Era" she grumbled into the bed. They had only returned to school two weeks earlier, but he could tell that Elena was already overwhelmed.

"Maybe I can help" he offered, his hands moving under her shirt to the middle of her back, pressing firmly into her skin and finding her tense muscles.

Elena sighed, marveling at the way Stefan's fingers singlehandedly released the tension in her body in a matter of minutes. "Yes, keep doing that" she said, closing her eyes. She could probably fall asleep if he let her.

"I have some books on European Trade that you can look at" he added, moving to straddle her back so he could work her muscles more efficiently. She didn't seem to mind. Stefan leaned forward so he was close to her ear. "Too bad we weren't in the same class. We could have partnered up" he said.

Elena smiled before she turned over on her back, staring up at him. "Like we would get anything done" she smirked. Stefan ran his hands along her sides. She was probably right.

"What time do you have to be home?" he asked. Elena frowned and looked off to the side at his clock.

"In about an hour" she said. She sat up, coming face to face with him. "I hate this" she pouted. She and Stefan had barely spent any time together the past two weeks since school had started. If it wasn't his football practice, it was her homework.

Stefan brushed her hair behind her ears and then held her face gently. "We can do a lot in an hour" he suggested.

A smile tugged at Elena's mouth before she gave up and let herself smile brightly. "Like what?" she asked, her bright brown eyes piercing his green ones.

"Hmmm" he said, pretending to think about it as he dropped his hands to the hem of her shirt and played with it.

Elena, not being able to take his teasing any longer, leaned in and kissed him hard. He was a bit surprised when she pushed him on to his back, landing on top of him. He loved it when she took charge, which wasn't that often, but when she did, he swears he almost died a little. When she pulled away from him, looking down at him with a mischievous grin, he knew she was up to something. "I want to watch a movie" she said, crawling off of him suddenly and getting off of the bed.

Elena ran out of his bedroom door and he remained where he was for a moment, staring up at the ceiling. "Unbelievable" he muttered, sitting up and going in search for her. Stefan stepped out of his room and looked down the hallway. It was quiet. "Elena" he said. Nothing. "Very funny" he called out, walking towards the stairs. Before he reached them, he heard footsteps running across the floor. He whipped around, but he didn't see her. He walked back towards his room, checking all the guest bedrooms along the way. Empty.

Damon looked up from his desk when he heard someone come blowing in to his room. He was surprised to see Elena, shushing him as she ran towards his bed. Elena looked around frantically before dropping to the floor and crawling under his bed. Damon continued to stare at her. She had her hand over her mouth, trying to control her breathing. "What are you doing?" he finally asked.

"Hiding" she whispered loudly. Damon raised his eyebrow at her.

Stefan slowly entered Damon's room cautiously a few minutes later, seeing his brother leaning back in his chair. "Have you seen Elena?" he asked. Elena held her breath, waiting for Damon's answer. Surely he would give her up.

Damon shook his head. "Nope" he said, turning back to his desk. Stefan nodded and retreated out of Damon's room. Damon smirked as he remembered the many times Stefan, Elena, and himself had played hide and go seek in the Boarding House when they were kids. Stefan always started out as the seeker and would soon find Elena. Damon always had the best hiding spots and the two younger children could never find him. They would usually give up after an hour. It was fun.

Elena got out from under the bed and brushed off the dust she had acquired. She smiled her thanks and tiptoed back into the hallway. It was still awkward between her and Damon, but it was getting better.

As she moved down the hallway, she noted that Stefan was nowhere to be found. She quietly went down the stairs, looking around. The house was way too quiet. She went through the kitchen and out to the dining room. When she rounded the corner to the parlor, she squealed as a strong pair of arms wrapped around her. "Found you" he whispered roughly in her ear. It was filled with need and want and it made her shiver. He loved the reaction he had gotten out of her. He pressed her closer to him, nuzzling his nose in the crook of her neck. "My turn to hide?" he asked her.

Elena swallowed hard and shook her head. She didn't want to play anymore. "I want to go back to your room" she forced her voice to say. He was already sucking lightly on her neck and she felt lightheaded. "Oh God" she gasped. She wasn't going to make it to his room if he kept this up.

"Stefan" he whispered hoarsely into her ear. "My name is Stefan" he reminded her, nipping at her collarbone. Stefan lifted her legs up around his waist and pressed her against the wall. He captured her lips in a hungry kiss. "Two weeks he breathed out" and Elena nodded in between her unsteady breaths. It had been too long.

Her fingers grazed along his jaw as she attempted to deepen the kiss. "So what are you waiting for?" she asked, biting down on his lip slightly.

A growl erupted from him. "You drive me crazy, you know that?" he asked, pressing his forehead to hers in a brief moment of rest for both of them.

"In a good way?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"In the best way" he answered. Elena smiled and Stefan pulled her away from the wall, carrying her back towards the stairs. Elena rested her head against his shoulder, enjoying this moment between them. Though she was sure what was to come next would be even more special.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Which it was. Elena pulled Stefan's arms around her tighter, enjoying both the comfort and protection they gave her. He gave her. Stefan kissed her head and snuggled closer to her. She had to leave soon. He would never get used to having to let her go.

"Stefan?" she asked sleepily. He kissed her neck, letting her know that he was listening. "Love you" she smiled, her eyes closed.

Stefan grinned as he pulled her closer. "Love you more" he told her.

Elena opened her eyes and pulled away from him slightly so she could stare at him. "You always have to one up me, don't you?" she asked. "God. Some things never change" she said, rolling her eyes.

Stefan tugged on her arm gently and brought her back to him. "And just what are you going to do about it?" he asked, his fingers moving along her back torturously slowly.

Elena grinned. "Absolutely nothing" she said, smiling at him.

"Really?" he questioned suspiciously. "Elena Gilbert, you cease to amaze me, you know that?" he asked her.

But he suddenly became serious and her playful demeanor subsided. "What are you thinking about?" she asked, caressing his face softly.

"I'm thinking about how different my life would have turned out if you weren't in it" he answered her. Her eyes softened as she thought about what he had just told her. "I love you, Elena. Always" he said, leaning in to kiss her.

When he ended the kiss, he saw silent tears escaping down her cheeks. He brushed them away with the pads of his thumbs. "Never stop telling me that" she said quietly, a small smile appearing.

"Never" he promised. He could never stop feeling this way about her, despite the fact that he had spent 17 years feeling the complete opposite about her. Elena rested her head against his chest, knowing she should be getting ready to go, but not being able to leave him. Stefan smiled once more and relaxed with her in his arms. While Elena closed her eyes and sighed contently, Stefan looked over at his dresser. There, in the top shelf, hidden in the back, sat a promise ring he intended to give her over Christmas break, when he would take her up to the mountains for a romantic weekend getaway. He was both nervous and excited and scared as hell for her reaction. But he was sincere with his intention to promise he would love her and remain faithful to her. She had no idea about any of it – the trip or the ring. He smiled at the thought.

Stefan was brought out of his thoughts when Elena's breathing became deep and even, signaling that she was asleep. He kissed her head before carefully reaching over and grabbing her phone, planning on sending a text to Jenna, saying that they were studying.

He knew lying to Jenna was wrong. But waking Elena up and making her leave his bed was even more wrong. He sent the text and tossed the phone aside. A small yawn escaped him and he realized he too was a bit tired. Pulling the covers up over them, Stefan let his eyes close and his body relax. He had Elena. Therefore, he had everything.

End.


	25. Winter Break

**A/N: Here it is! The Winter/Christmas Break chapter that was requested. It was nice to write about something happy again! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing this story. It was amazing to write! **

Elena smiled brightly as his truck came to a stop. She looked around, seeing a small log cabin surrounded by nothing but white. She loved the snow and could barely contain her excitement since Mystic Falls hadn't seen any yet this year. Stefan shut the truck off and smiled at her. He was a total genius. She was already in love with the place and she hadn't even set foot outside of the truck. "Come on, let's go look inside" he said, opening the door of his truck and jumping out. She did the same, the cold air instantly hitting her face. She wrapped her scarf around her and shut the door.

Stefan grabbed her larger bag and they made their way to the front door. He got the lock open and followed her inside. Elena stopped in awe at the sight before her. The entire one bedroom cabin was decorated for Christmas, complete with a Christmas tree. Although they would be back home in time for Christmas, she still liked the idea of having a tree where she was vacationing. "So" Stefan said, walking up behind her and placing his arms around her. "What do you think?" he asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Elena smiled brightly as she turned to face him. "I think you spoil me" she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

Stefan returned her smile as he leaned in. "I do. I do spoil you" he mumbled against her lips before capturing them for a proper kiss. Elena eagerly kissed him back while his hands began inching underneath her shirt.

"Mmm" she said, breaking the kiss and pushing on his chest lightly. "Hold that thought" she grinned, moving away from him. He turned around and watched her open the door. "I want to go out and play in the snow first!" she said excitedly, running out of the cabin and off into the wooded area.

Stefan grabbed his gloves and ran after her, shutting the door on his way out. He looked around the whiteness and saw no one. "Elena?" he called. She didn't answer. A moment of worry overcame him; the thought of anything happening to her terrifying him.

But as a ball of snow came into contact with the back of his neck, running down his jacket, he knew she was perfectly safe. Well, not from his revenge. He heard her erupt into a fit of giggles as he turned around, trying to get the remaining snow out of his jacket. "I know you are going to retaliate" she told him, a smile still on her face. He always did. "But that was so worth it."

Stefan scowled at her. "You're lucky I love you" he told her, walking in her direction.

Elena thought about running, but maybe sucking up to him would keep him from shoving snow down her jacket. "I'm sorry" she said, walking towards him with her arms out for a peace-offering hug. Stefan accepted her hug, momentarily forgetting about what she had done. "Wanna go inside and I'll make it up to you?" she asked suggestively. He liked the sound of that.

"Yeah" he answered. She felt his arm go under her legs as he picked her up. Only to her horror, he was not going toward the cabin. He was heading farther out into the woods. "Stefan!" she said, eyeing the snow bank that he was walking towards. "Stefan, no!" she begged. But he kept walking, all the way until he plopped her into the snow and watched her sink. Snow went up her jacket and down her pants. "Stefan!" she yelled, attempting to stand in all that snow.

He chuckled at her predicament. "Rule number one" he said, grabbing on to her and pulling her out. "I always get revenge" he grinned.

It was her turn to scowl at him now. "Now I need a hot shower" she stated.

"Perfect. Me too" he smiled. He grabbed her and pulled her close to him. "I can even help you get these wet clothes off" he said.

Elena couldn't help but smile as his lips brushed against hers. "Okay" she murmured.

With that, Stefan grabbed her hand and led her back inside. Their clothes left a trail to the bathroom, but neither seemed to mind. No one else was there to care, so why should they? 

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Day two and Stefan was already dreading having to leave the following night. They had done absolutely nothing but spend time with one another. In bed. On the couch. In the shower. And Stefan's new favorite spot – the hot tub. He thought they would want at least five minutes alone, but she followed him everywhere and he followed her right back. Her hands were either in his or in his pockets. His hands were constantly touching her in some way, never seeming to get enough of her.

And here they were again, sitting in the large chair in front of the fire, wrapped in a blanket. Elena had her head resting on his shoulder, contemplating sleep. Stefan had his arms securely around her. He had been waiting all day, both excited and terrified by her reaction. But it was the perfect moment. "I have something for you" he said softly.

She turned her head to look up at him and smiled. "It's not Christmas yet" she reminded him just as quietly.

Stefan smiled at her. "This isn't a Christmas present" he told her. He had already bought her some ridiculously expensive pair of boots months ago. He could have cared less about what he had to pay for them. It was what he had had to go through to get them. The mall at 5 AM with a bunch of crazy women all wanting the same boots. Of course they were limited in quantity. Because the store had wanted to make his life miserable. The women shoved him, yelled at him, and ripped boxes of shoes out of his hands. It was a miracle that he had made it out alive. But in the end, he had gotten the boots that he knew she really wanted, but that she would never have bought for herself.

"So what kind of present is it then?" she asked curiously, sitting up and readjusting herself in his lap.

Stefan reached into the pocket of his sweatshirt and pulled out the small red velvet box. Elena looked at the box and then back at him and then back at the box again, her mouth falling open slightly. "Open it" he encouraged, handing it to her. Elena took it and slowly opened the box to reveal a white gold round and princess cut diamond ring. "It's a promise ring" he told her when she couldn't speak.

Elena looked up at him. "I know what it is" she told him, looking back down at the ring. "I just … I … Stefan, this is … this is beautiful" she said, finally spitting the words out.

Stefan took the box from her trembling fingers and took the ring out. He grabbed her left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger. He looked up at her and smiled. "It fits perfectly." Elena nodded as she admired the sparkling ring on her finger. "Do you like it?" he asked cautiously. Because he could always take it back and get her something she wanted. If she even wanted a ring at all.

"No, I don't like it Stefan" she told him. "I love it" she said confidently. She looked back up at him and met his eyes.

"I love you Elena" he told her. "And I wanted something to show you and everyone else that I want to be with you, to marry you, to live the rest of my life with you" he explained. Elena didn't care if she was crying now. It was bound to happen when you were dating the most romantic guy on the planet. "I can't promise you what your future will look like, but I can promise you that it will include me."

"I love you Stefan. And I can't wait to see what our future holds" she said, allowing the silent tears to continue to fall. Stefan cupped her face with his hands and wiped away at the tears with his thumbs. He stared at her for a long moment, realizing how incredibly lucky he was. Then he leaned down and kissed her passionately. When his hands moved away from her face and trailed slowly down to the hem of her shirt, she broke the kiss with a smile. "Let's take this to the bedroom" she suggested, biting on the bottom of his lip playfully.

Stefan kissed her again while at the same time, standing up with her. Elena laughed lightly as he placed her legs around his waist and walked with her the short distance to the bedroom. He placed her on the bed, hovering over her as he kissed her. Their hands quickly went to work on removing each other's clothing.

Elena sat up, helping Stefan get her sweater off. She smiled up at him as he tossed the sweater onto the floor. Elena lifted her arms up as Stefan pulled her shirt up over her head next. Stefan's shirt came off soon after. He laid her back down, moving over her and kissing his way along her neck, missing the close contact. Elena sighed, running her hands along his back while kissing his shoulder.

It was the perfect way to spend the evening- in the middle of the mountains with Stefan as close as possible. "I love you" he whispered when he had kissed his way up to her ear.

Elena pulled his head back up to hers so she could kiss him. "Love you too" she said breathlessly, in-between their kisses.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sometime later, Elena lay in Stefan's arms, staring into the mostly dark room. The only light was a few small candles that she had gotten up to light. The flames made shadows along the wall which she thought added to their romantic evening. Just when she thought he had fallen asleep, she felt him place a slow, lazy kiss on her forehead. "Do you want dinner?" he asked, maneuvering on top of her once again and kissing her. "Or do you want to do more of this?" he asked, continuing to kiss her.

Elena laughed as she felt his fingers move across her stomach. She squirmed under him. "That tickles" she told him. Stefan smiled against her cheek, moving his hands behind her back to where he knew she was less ticklish. "I actually want to go outside and walk in the snow. I saw some trails" she said.

Stefan groaned. "We can't be naked if we go outside" he reminded her. It was cold out there. He kissed her shoulder in an attempt to change her mind. But Elena had her mind set. She slipped out from under him and got out of bed, looking for her clothes. "Elena" he whined, collapsing on the bed.

"Come on Stefan, I want to go outside for a little bit" she said, grabbing her jacket, hat, and gloves. Seeing that he was not moving, she got back on the bed with him and kissed his cheek. "Please?" she asked.

From the time that Stefan and Elena had officially started dating, it was crystal clear that he could not say no to her and she knew it. A quick trip to the mall to pick up a new outfit often turned into Elena wanting to go into every store and look around, resulting in Stefan lugging around ten shopping bags as he followed after her. But he kind of liked it. He was finally important to someone else. More importantly, he had someone in his life who was important to him.

Stefan sighed. "Okay" he said, sitting up and getting out of bed. Elena quickly turned away from him. It was one thing to be in bed with him naked. It still made her blush to see him naked elsewhere. "Nothing you haven't seen before" he reminded. Elena blushed again and quickly left the room.

He found her staring out the window, watching the snow fall. "The snow is really coming down now" she said. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Think we will get stuck here?" she asked, turning her head to look up at him.

"They keep the roads clear" Stefan told her, brushing a piece of hair out of her face. He then grabbed her hand and led her toward the door. "We can't be late for Christmas" he said, opening the door and walking out with her. As soon as he shut the door, he grabbed her hand again and walked with her.

"You're still coming over Christmas morning, right?" she asked him, swinging her hand with his.

Stefan grinned. "Don't worry, I'll get you your Christmas present" he told her.

Elena bumped into him playfully. "That's not what I meant!" she told him. "It's just really important to me that we spend our first Christmas together" she admitted, wondering if she sounded too obsessed yet.

He tugged her closer to him. "I'll be there" he promised.

"Good" she said, feeling the excitement already. It was going to be hard celebrating Christmas without her parents. She needed Stefan there with her and her family. They wanted him there too. Elena brushed her hand against a tree branch and watched the snow fall off. "So you're spending Christmas Eve with Damon then?" she asked.

Stefan shook his head. "He'll be out of town" Stefan told her. Stefan wasn't sure where he was going or when he would be back. Not much had changed between them, but they were fighting less. Stefan decided that it was because he was being less confrontational towards Damon. Stefan also decided that it was because of Elena. She was the best distraction.

Elena decided that he couldn't spend the night before Christmas by himself. "Then it's settled. I will stay over on Christmas Eve" she said. "And we can wake up and go to my house."

"You don't have to do that" he told her. He was used to spending Christmas by himself.

"I want to" Elena told him, squeezing his hand.

He stopped them and turned to face her. "You are amazing, Elena. I don't know what I would do without you" he told her.

Elena felt herself blush. "You were doing fine without me before" she reminded him.

Stefan smiled sadly and shook his head. "I was taking it day by day, trying to make it" he said, seriousness coloring his voice. "But now, with you, I'm thinking about the future, and every day I wake up, I know it will be a good day, because I will get to see you."

"You are my reason for getting up most days" she admitted, thinking about how sometimes she wanted to stay in bed and think about all the bad things that had happened in her life recently.

Stefan pulled her close, moving close to her ear. "I'll always give you a reason to get up" he whispered.

Elena pulled away from him and smiled, her eyes becoming blurry from tears that threatened to spill. "I know" she smiled, nodding her head. "Thank you for this weekend. Just what I needed."

"Thank you for being here with me" he told her in return. He tugged on her hand and they began walking again.

They were silent for some time, the only sounds were the snow brunching beneath their boots and tree branches snapping. It was peaceful, but she felt the need to talk. "Do you think our parents would be happy, about us?" she asked, continuing to walk next to him. They hadn't talked very much about their parents lately and with it being the holidays, it made Elena think a lot more about them.

Stefan smiled softly. "I think they would want us to be happy" he told her. "Are you happy?" he asked her.

Elena smiled at the thought of the new ring on her finger, just under her glove. "Very. You?" she asked.

Stefan squeezed her hand. "Extremely" he replied. Elena scowled and yanked her hand away from him. "What?" he asked.

"You're doing it again" she accused, crossing her arms. He looked at her, pretending to be confused, though he knew what he was doing. Elena decided to clarify for him. "You're trying to one up me, again!"

Stefan smiled even more. "Am I?" he asked. She wasn't amused and he decided if he wanted to stay happy, he had better give in. "You're right. I'm sorry" he said. She still scowled at him, but her face was softening. "Don't be mad" he told her, grabbing her face with his hands. Stefan pulled her close and kissed her. "I'll make it up to you tonight" he whispered.

Elena couldn't help but smile. He had that effect on her, no matter how mad she was. "I look forward to it" she told him, grabbing his jacket and pulling him back in to kiss her. "I just might have a little something for you too when we get back" she said as soon as she pulled away from him.

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?" he smiled. "Like what?" he asked her.

Elena shrugged. "It might involve something red and silky with very, very little material" she hinted, walking away from him. She failed at suppressing a smile, knowing that she had just made his night by hinting at what she might be wearing for him when they went to bed.

She heard fast footsteps crunching in the snow and then a strong pair of arms wrap around her. "Tell me more about this silky red thing you plan on showing me tonight" he said, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"You'll have to wait and see" she told him. "But I think you will love it" she added.

Stefan kissed her cheek and rested his head against hers. "You drive me insane" he sighed, trying to visually picture her in that little red silky thing.

Elena hugged his arms tighter around her. "I've been driving you insane since we were kids. I don't think that will ever change."

"I hope it won't" he told her, receiving her cue and holding her tighter. "Because that's what makes me love you even more" he smiled. He held her for a few minutes, both enjoying the falling snow and the snow-covered landscape surrounding them. He knew exactly what his parents would have said about his relationship with Elena. "My dad would have sat me down and told me I had better treat you right, because losing you would be one of the hardest things that could happen to me" he said quietly. "And my mom would have said, "It took you two long enough. Now when is the wedding?" he told her, smiling at the thought.

Elena nodded, a sad smile appearing as she agreed. "My dad would have taken you aside and told you how much I meant to him and how he wouldn't hesitate to hurt you if you hurt me" Elena said, taking her turn at guessing what her parents would have done. "Mom would have cried and then hugged us. Then she would have probably called everyone in Mystic Falls, making the announcement that we were finally together" she finished.

Stefan turned her around and brought her into a proper hug. "That's exactly what they would have done" he assured her, hugging her tighter. It was no secret that their parents always knew that they would end up together sooner or later. "If only we had listened to them sooner" he said.

"If only" Elena sighed. She looked up at him and smiled, trying to shake the sad feeling she had. Her parents had been so right about Stefan. He may not have been perfect, but he was perfect enough for her. "I love you, so much, Stefan Salvatore" she said happily.

He smiled. "I love you too, so much, Elena Gilbert" he told her. He would be a liar to say he didn't think about her with his last name. All in good time, he told himself. All in good time. "Come on, let's go back. It's getting cold out here" he told her.

Elena nodded, accepting his hand and walking back towards the cabin with him. She was truly excited about something for the first time since the accident. She was excited about her future with Stefan. Whatever happened, it was going to be epic.

END.


	26. Chapter 26

"Damn" Elena said, reaching over for the power cord for her laptop. She had that paper to finish writing. She plugged her laptop in and went back to work. She was willing to bet that Stefan already had the paper done for their Senior English class. He never waited until the last minute like she had been doing lately. In her defense, Stefan had her full attention almost every day after school. He took her out to dinner or brought her back to his place, promising to help her with her homework and somehow getting her naked and tired out by the end of the night. She grinned at the thought, but shook her head quickly. "Focus" she told herself.

The howling wind wasn't doing anything to keep her on task either, especially the tree scratching outside against the window. Jeremy and Jenna were out of town again and she suddenly wished that she did not have the house to herself.

Elena began typing away again, having six more pages to write. Then, a loud booming sound hit, causing the entire living room to go dark, including her laptop. "No!" she said, smacking her laptop. She hadn't even saved the last few pages she had worked on.

"Damnit" she muttered, shoving the laptop aside and going in search of a flashlight. She thought there might be one in the kitchen as she felt her way around, bumping into things along the way. "Come on, where are you?" she asked, searching through the cabinets. She moved further into the kitchen. "A hah!" she said, grabbing for the flashlight behind some other various tools. She also found a few candles and a box of matches.

Slowly making her way back out to the couch, she set a candle down and carefully lit it. She put another one on the mantle near the fire place and lit it too. Then, she made her way back to the couch and grabbed her blanket, pulling it over herself. She wondered how long it would take for the power to come back on. She was hoping 15 minutes max. She checked her phone and her service was gone too.

It was 30 minutes later and Elena was leaning her head back, closing her eyes and grumbling. She was going to die without any power. No internet and no phone. No nothing but darkness and the wind.

She curled up even more under her blanket when she heard a sharp knock on her door, making her jump in place on the couch. She wasn't going to answer, not when it was dark and she was home alone. "Elena?" Stefan said, calling for her through the door.

Elena jumped up immediately, forgetting her flashlight and smacking her shin into the corner of the table. A string of curse words fell out of her mouth by the time she reached the door and opened it for him. "Stefan" she said, falling into him as she was on the verge of crying. Her damn leg hurt.

"Elena?" he asked, concern falling across his face as he held her. "What happened? I heard you yell" he said, shutting the door and taking her back to the couch.

"I ran my leg into that stupid table" she pouted. Stefan smiled and she could see it in the dim candle light. "It's not funny" she said, pushing him away.

"I'm sorry" he said, laughing. "Here, let me kiss it all better" he added, giving her a pretend pouty face as he grabbed her leg and brought it to his lips. He placed a small kiss on her shin.

Elena couldn't help but smile. "What are you doing here?" she asked, running her finger along his jaw.

He kissed her finger when it ran across his lips. "When the power went out at my place, I wanted to make sure you weren't sitting here alone in the dark" he said.

"Well aren't you my knight in shining armor" she said sarcastically. Though really, she was glad he was there.

"I don't see anyone else running to your rescue" he reminded her, pinching under her knee for added effect. She squirmed slightly and laughed. It tickled more than anything. "Have you had dinner yet?" he asked her.

"No" she said. "I haven't really had time to do anything. I was trying to get that paper done for English when the power went out."

"You still haven't written that?" he chastised. "We've had over a month Elena" he reminded.

"And if I remember correctly, you've taken up quite a bit of my time over that last month" she said pointedly.

Stefan grinned. "Yes I have" he said, catching on to exactly what she was talking about. And while he would have loved to distract her a little more, he knew he should find something for dinner. "I'm going to see what there is to eat" he said, nibbling on the bottom or her ear and causing her to smile. "Be. Right. Back" he said, whispering in her ear as he got up and grabbed the flashlight.

She could hear him bumping around in her kitchen. She honestly had no idea what she had in her kitchen. If no one was home to cook, she went to Stefan's or went to The Grill. "Find anything edible in there?" she called from the couch.

"Not much" he called back. Elena grinned. She hadn't been to the grocery store like Jenna had asked.

He was in there for no longer than ten minutes when he came back to the couch with a plate. "You'd starve if you didn't live with other people or have a boyfriend" he said, plopping down next to her. Sandwiches. She wasn't sure exactly what was on them, but she was hungry enough to not care. "This stuff would go bad anyways if we didn't eat it now" he added.

"So resourceful you are" she said playfully. Though, if the power was going to be out much longer, they were seriously screwed. "How long do you suppose the power will be out?" she asked.

"If this wind gets as bad as they say, it might be a day or two" he told her. "I've got food at my place, don't worry."

"One or two days without power?" she said with the faintest whine in her voice. "No phone? Internet? T.V.?" she asked, wondering how she would ever survive.

Stefan set the plate on the coffee table and grabbed her legs, placing them across his lap. "I guess we'll just have to find other things to keep us entertained" he said, rubbing her legs.

"Like what?" Elena asked.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Board games, cards …" he rattled off.

Elena thought about his ideas for a moment. "Let's … play a board game. How about SORRY?" she said, finishing up her sandwich.

"Sure" he shrugged.

"I'll go and get it" she said, getting up carefully. She grabbed the flashlight and made her way to the cabinet with all the family board games.

"Need help?" he asked from the couch.

"Nope" Elena said, finding it near the top and making her way back to the couch. She set the game on the table, grabbed a pillow, and sat on it on the floor.

Stefan sat across from her on the floor and helped her set it up. He couldn't remember the last time he played a board game. He gave her the green pieces, knowing that she would want those before she even asked for them. She in turn handed him the blue pieces. "You can go first" he said, being his usual polite self.

Elena pulled a card with the number one, earning her the opportunity to move one pawn out of the start position. "Your turn" Elena said, and Stefan could see the faintest grin spread across her face. When it came to board games, she was extremely competitive. Stefan pulled a seven, indicating that he couldn't move. "My turn!" she said, already getting excited. She pulled a two, earning her the opportunity to move another pawn out and to draw again. Stefan was starting to think she had rigged the stack of cards, but he said nothing. Elena drew again, getting a ten. She moved ten spaces.

It took Stefan seven more turns to get one pawn out of the start position. Elena was already a few spaces from her safety zone. On Stefan's next turn, he drew a SORRY card, indicating that he could bump one of her pawns and replace it with his own. He eyed her pawn and grinned. "Sorry" he said, grabbing one of his pawns and moving to replace it with hers.

"Stefan, no" she whined. She was almost there. "Please don't do that" she whined some more.

He grinned some more. "Why shouldn't I?" he asked, pausing before bumping her pawn off of the board.

Elena thought quickly. "I'll … make-out with you for one minute if you don't SORRY me" she said quickly, looking at him. Yes, her need to win a stupid board game was making her sound desperate.

Stefan wasn't stupid. One minute of making out with Elena was so much better than winning a board game. "Done" he said, leaving her pawn alone.

Elena got up and walked to his side of the table, sitting in his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You'll keep count?" she asked, mere inches from his face. Stefan nodded and she leaned in, brushing her lips against his in a preliminary manner before following his lead and intensifying the kiss.

Elena almost thought it was a win-win for her. She was ahead in the game and was enjoying kissing Stefan. Although they had only agreed to kissing, she let his hands roam around her waist and her back.

When the minute was up, Stefan pulled away from her, breaking the kiss. They were both a little breathless. "I don't think we've kissed like that in a while" he said, smiling as he rested his head against hers.

Elena closed her eyes, smiling as well. "I don't think so either" she told him.

"Tell you what" he said, wrapping his arms around her again. "I'll forfeit the game if I can continue kissing you" he said. Not many guys would forfeit, but Stefan was pretty sure if they had just kissed Elena like that, they would learn to be okay with giving up.

"So I win?" Elena asked, liking the sound of that.

Stefan nodded. He probably would have let her win anyways. "You win" he told her.

"I like winning" Elena said, brushing her lips against his in a teasing manner. "Can you build us a fire?" she asked. "You know where the wood is. I'll go upstairs and get us some blankets and pillows" she said, moving just out of the way so his lips missed hers when he tried to kiss her.

Stefan sighed. "Okay. Be careful" he said, unwrapping his arms from around her. He stood up with her and they parted ways, him taking the flashlight and her taking a candle for light.

Elena slowly made her way up the stairs, grabbing pillows off of her bed and grabbing extra blankets out of her closet. Two thicker blankets and two lighter ones. She changed into her sweats and a t-shirt before carefully heading back downstairs.

Stefan already had the fire lit and was adding more wood to it. He smiled when he heard her come back into the room. "Good thing I chopped and stacked a lot of wood last summer. You're almost out" he said, adding another piece of wood.

"We've built a lot of fires this winter" Elena said, dropping the blankets and pillows into a pile. She began spreading the blankets out, making a makeshift bed for them. Once done, she laid down and watched him skillfully keep the fire going.

"This should last us for a while" he said, satisfied with his fire.

He sat down and watched it for a moment until he felt Elena's arms snake around him. "Come lay down with me" she whispered into his ear. He barely heard her with the howling wind just outside.

"You come sit with me" he countered, finding peace in watching the crackling fire in front of him. He slowly guided her around him, sitting her in his lap once again. He loved having her this close, especially when the light from the fire lit up her features. Her beautiful brown eyes and her soft smile.

"I'm really glad you came over" she said quietly, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

"I'd never leave you by yourself in this kind of weather" he said, placing a gentle kiss on the side of her cheek. He cared about her too much.

"I know" she smiled, tilting her head up to look at him. "I appreciate you" she added, turning back to look at the fire. "It's nice to have someone in your life who looks out for you."

Stefan hugged her tighter. "I appreciate you too" he said, placing a light kiss on the back of her neck.

Elena closed her eyes and smiled. "Do you remember the last time the power went out for a long time in Mystic Falls?" she asked.

Stefan laughed softly in her ear. "Wasn't it about five years ago?" he asked. "Our last year of junior high. Damon went out of town and your parents didn't want me staying home by myself" he reminded.

"So they let you stay with us" she added. "I was sooooo mad at them."

"We did play flashlight tag though" he reminded. "That was fun."

"You and Jeremy locked me in the laundry room and left" Elena said, remembering how she had screamed until her dad had found her and let her out.

Stefan smiled against her neck. "Yeah, and we got in big trouble for that one" he pointed out. "The more I think about it, the more I believe that I tortured you so much when we were kids because I secretly liked you" he said, trying to make sense of it all.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night" she said, opening one eye and looking up at him.

Stefan took the opportunity to kiss her lips quickly. "You got your revenge" he told her.

"I did" she agreed with a satisfied smirk on her face. "I put makeup on you while you were sleeping" she said proudly. "And that takes talent, putting makeup on someone in the dark" she added.

"I deserved that" he said, reaching his hand up and pulling her hair out of its ponytail. "As well as the next three days of you driving me crazy until the power finally came back on." Now, he'd be perfectly fine if the power stayed off for days. It would give them more time to be with each other without any of the usual distractions.

"Do I still drive you crazy?" she asked, grabbing his hand and kissing it.

"Yes" he said, snaking his hand up her shirt slowly. "In the best way possible" he whispered into her ear.

Elena sighed. "Good answer" she said, slowly moving away from him. He let her go, but looked at her curiously as she went back to the makeshift bed. "I'm waiting" she said. He could barely see her slipping her shirt off and tossing it towards the couch. Her sweats were next he assumed, but he was already up and kicking his own jeans off, followed by his shirt.

She held her arms opened as he crawled over to her, going straight in for a kiss. "Definitely still drive me crazy" he mumbled in-between kisses. "Still mad about the power being off?" he asked.

Elena shook her head no. "It's really hard to be mad about anything when you're naked and kissing me" she said truthfully.

"Good to know my nakedness has that effect on you" he smiled, moving a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just so you know, a meteor could hit outside your front door right now and I wouldn't even notice" he added.

"That's so … sweet" she said, rolling her eyes.

Stefan placed a gentle kiss on her lips, tracing along her jaw as he studied her in the dark. "Your smile gets me every time too though" he told her, tracing his finger across her lips when she smiled for him.

Elena moved her hands around his back, tracing along his spine. "Stefan?" she asked, almost as if she had a secret to tell him.

He moved even closer to her. "Yeah?" he asked quietly.

"I'm getting cold" she said, letting her hands move to his waist.

"I can't have that now, can I?" he asked, pulling the blanket over them and snuggling closer to her. He kissed her shoulder and ever so slowly, trailed his way down.

With only the fire in front of them and the rest of the house in complete darkness, it was nice to use his other senses and not his sense of sight. Of course he loved seeing Elena, but relying on the other senses to explore Elena was a huge turn-on for him. From what he could hear, it was a turn-on for her too.


End file.
